Troy Story
by Aerandirwen
Summary: Shameless fantasy fic by two girls with too much spare time. Liberty, a descendant of Zeus, is brought back in time and asked by Apollo to defend Troy and get revenge on the Greeks for desecrating his shrine. Can she change history for love? L.H, OC.P
1. The Problem

Liberty Jennings tore down the road in her black Chevrolet SSR, ripping open her brand new New Found Glory CD. Having driven this road countless times, she wasn't exactly aware of herself as she put the CD into the stereo and hit the play button, turning the volume up almost to its max. Dark clouds rolled in quickly, surrounding her as she found the song she wanted and started to sing along, bobbing her head to the heavy music.  
  
Without warning, lightning flashed in front of her, hitting the hood of her truck. She screamed and stomped down on the brake pedal, screeching to a halt, fishtailing wildly on the narrow road.  
  
When she opened her eyes, brightness overcame her and she quickly closed them again. Slowly, she opened one eye and then the other. Her vision burned as her eyes adjusted to the bright sunlight. She couldn't see the road in front of her, nor anything else on the landscape except a few scraggly bushes and acres of dirt and sand. She cursed out loud and fished her sunglasses out of the console of her vehicle.  
  
"Such language you have, Liberty," an amused voice said.  
  
Liberty shoved the glasses into place and turned to look at the man leaning against the front fender of her beloved truck. "Who the hell are you? Where am I?" She looked around, noting only hills of sand and hard, cracked dirt as far as she could see. "Maybe I got killed when the lightning hit my car and now I'm dead."  
  
The man laughed, leading her gaze to the large burn on the hood of her truck. "No, Liberty. You're not dead." He stood up and Liberty stared at his clothing.  
  
"Are you wearing a toga?" she asked, groping for some sort of weapon.  
  
He smiled. "No, Toto, you're not in Kansas anymore." He leaned over the driver's side door of the convertible truck and looked around inside. "And I don't see any weapons, except the pocketknife on the waistband of your pants, so you might as well give up."  
  
Liberty's hand flew to her waistband, but nothing was there. The toga-clad man was holding it in front of her face instead. "I am Apollo. I need you here to help me."  
  
Liberty snatched the knife from his hand and flipped it open in one smooth motion. "Help with what? Are you like a god or something?"  
  
Apollo grinned again. "You're cleverer than I originally took you for. You most-definitely are a descendant of Zeus. Such beauty... and cleverness. You've got one-up on Helen."  
  
Helen? Liberty had heard that name before. "Helen... of Troy?"  
  
"Yes. Helen is your ancestor. And no, not with Paris. After the war, Helen left Troy and went back to Greece. She married there and had children with another man." Apollo's cocky smile was beginning to irritate Liberty.  
  
"And this is supposed to mean what to me, exactly?" She asked, looking around with a disgusted look on her face. "You're telling me I'm the descendant of Helen of Troy, and that she left Paris, and why would I care? They're all long-dead, if they existed at all, and there's nothing I can do about it."  
  
Apollo shifted suddenly, moving from the standing position outside her truck to sitting in the passenger seat. "That's where you're wrong on both counts, dearest. You are in their time now, and there IS something you can do about this." His worn-yet-handsome face suddenly turned serious. "During the course of this war, the Greeks will insult me and the other gods, and worse yet, they will win. I cannot let this happen. Insulting us is one thing, but getting away with it is an entirely new matter." He reached out and touched her wavy blonde hair, feeling its silky texture. Liberty slapped his hand away and he smiled. "You're so much like Helen. Beautiful and fiery when you need to be."  
  
Liberty scoffed. "Like her? I'm LIKE her? Maybe in looks. From what I read, she seemed like a vain, snotty, selfish bitch. I would kill myself was I ever like that." Her eyes narrowed at the god of the Sun. "The point of all this is that you dragged me out of my own time so I can help you by helping the Trojans win this war?"  
  
Apollo raised an eyebrow. "I'm not nearly powerful enough to pluck you out of the fabric of time. That was Zeus' doing. Knowing that might help you to realize the severity of this situation."  
  
Liberty slammed her hands against the steering wheel. "What am I supposed to do about this, exactly? Kill Achilles myself?"  
  
Apollo laughed, and she wanted to hurt him for it. "If you could manage it, sure. Kill Achilles. Stop them from bringing the Horse into the city. Prevent Hector's death. Seduce Paris away from Helen. Whatever it takes, do it."  
  
Liberty was going to give the god a tongue-lashing, but when she looked over, he was gone. After a thorough inspection of her car and the surrounding area, Liberty found that she was alone. She climbed back into her truck and tried the ignition. Thankfully, the engine roared to life, having been unaffected by the lightning bolt. She sighed and put it into gear, going, hopefully, toward the city.  
  
"I take it I don't get to go home until I do this?" she asked the sky, receiving no answer. "If they don't kill me just for looking so out-of- place, they'll surely throw me in the dungeon or the loony bin."  
  
Taking one final look at her fuel-less truck, she gathered her bag and trudged off toward what she hoped was the coastal city. As she walked, she pulled her hair into a red ball cap, trying to shield her Caribbean-colored eyes from the harsh sun.  
  
"Fucking gods, fucking with my life, fucking hell," she mumbled to herself, wanting to listen to her Discman, but afraid she'd kill the batteries too soon. "You'd think, since he wanted this so damn much, Zeus would have put me closer to the city and Apollo would have turned the sun down a few degrees." She paused, and then grimaced. "And I'm going slowly insane. The first sign being that I'm talking to myself."  
  
After what felt like hours, Liberty stumbled to her knees. "I'm lost. I'm never going to find this place. I'm going to die in the desert. Oh God, I'm going to die a virgin."  
  
She struggled to her feet and only managed a few more steps before collapsing to the sand. She pulled her bag to her chest and drifted off into unconsciousness. 


	2. Two Princes

Liberty groaned, every inch of her body aching. "Mom, can I have some ice?" she called out. Slowly, she became aware that she was on the back of a horse, in a strong pair of tanned arms. She yelped, starting the horse and almost causing both riders to fall off.  
  
"Calm down, girl! You're all right," the man growled into her ear, righting both of them on the nervous steed. "One of the villagers found you in the sand and brought you to the temple. I am bringing you to the city."  
  
Liberty's eyes widened. This man was not speaking English, but she could understand him perfectly. "What city?" she asked cautiously.  
  
With a swell of pride in his voice, he answered. "Troy. My home."  
  
Troy. This was good. She had been headed in the right direction after all. Dizziness crept up on her and Liberty's eyes were heavy-lidded with sleep. "Mmm... wake me when we get there," she said softly, dozing off in the security of this stranger's arms.  
  
"No need. We're here," he said in an amused tone.  
  
"Hector! Hector!" voiced cheered in the streets.  
  
Liberty shot upright. "Hector?" She turned her head and stared at the rugged-yet-friendly face of the Trojan prince. "You're Hector?"  
  
Hector smiled and bowed his head slightly, his dark eyes sparkling. "That I am. And you are?"  
  
Liberty bit her lip. "I'm... Liberty. Liberty of... Nowhere."  
  
"Nowhere?" Hector joked. "I have heard of that place. Is it beautiful there?"  
  
"Fabulous," Liberty answered in a dry tone. She looked around. "Did someone happen to grab my bag?"  
  
Hector nodded to the horse behind them. "My brother, Paris, has some questions about the strange contents of your bag." He turned and smiled at his younger brother. Paris grinned back.  
  
Liberty looked at Paris over Hector's shoulder. He was equally as good- looking as his brother, but in an entirely different way. While Hector had broad shoulders and bulging muscles, as well as many battle scars and an unshaven face, Paris had smooth-looking skin (also bronze colored from the sun), large, questioning, dark eyes, and a thin, lean body. Hector was ruggedly handsome while Paris was beautiful.  
  
'I can see why Helen ran off with him,' Liberty thought to herself, eyeing the Trojan princeling. 'Maybe I'll seduce him away from her to try and stop this war.'  
  
Hector halted the young stallion and a guard immediately appeared to help Liberty to her feet. Everywhere she looked, people seemed content, and even happy, with life in Troy. They were obviously not yet aware that a thousand ships bearing Greek soldiers must be on their way. She wished she could cancel the fight on both ends and keep everyone safe.  
  
A young woman appeared out of a doorway and ran into Paris' arms the moment he was off his horse. She was beautiful, in a white flowing gown, with golden hair down to her buttocks and eyes as blue as the sea after a storm.  
  
"Helen." Liberty could see the similarities in the way they looked. Both had the same color of hair and eyes, the same lean frame (though Liberty boasted larger breasts), and the same shapely legs.  
  
Hector put a hand on the young woman's shoulder and also looked at the couple. "Yes. That's the love of my brother's life." His eyes darkened. "And most likely the biggest mistake any Trojan has ever made." He looked down at Liberty. "You look somewhat like her. How do you know so much about us?"  
  
Her mouth opened and closed a few times, but no sound came out. How could she explain this? Fortunately, her stomach answered for her, loudly.  
  
Hector laughed and escorted her up a flight of stone steps to a large room filled with fabrics, pillows, and tables. "You must be famished. Here, Desert Rose, come and sit. Eat your fill and then we'll see about getting all that dust cleaned off. I must now find my wife and son. I will see you again soon, I am sure."  
  
Liberty's heart dropped at the mention of his wife and son. She had caught herself moving away from her target, and falling for Hector. She sighed and used the nearest napkin to wipe a layer of dirt off her face and hands as two servants appeared with trays of food.  
  
"That woman," Helen said, brushing her hair and looking into the mirror at the form of her lover, Paris. "She looks like me. Did you notice?"  
  
Paris moved over behind Helen and began caressing her neck and shoulders. "I did notice, but Hector was far too possessive to let me touch her."  
  
"That is well, because you are my lover, not hers," Helen said in a low tone. "If Hector wants to take her as a mistress, that is his business."  
  
Paris smiled. "Hector's morals would prevent him from ever bedding a woman other than Andromache."  
  
Helen gave his reflection a pointed look. "And your morals should prevent you from touching a woman other than me."  
  
Paris bent down and kissed the side of his lover's head. "I love you more than anything. I would never touch a woman other than you." He turned her head to face him and kissed her deeply. "I would give up my life for you."  
  
Helen sighed. "If Menelaus gets his way, you just may."  
  
Paris nuzzled Helen's neck. "If it has to be that way, then so be it." He stood up and moved to the door. "I am hungry. Would you like me to fetch you anything?"  
  
Helen shook her head and Paris disappeared out the door. He found his way to where Liberty was attacking her food like a starving animal.  
  
"May I join you, or do you planning on eating every morsel in the kingdom?" He sat on a cushion next to her. "I put your bag in the room down the hall from mine. I thought you might want to take a bath and perhaps a nap after your meal."  
  
"Thanks," Liberty muttered through a mouthful of food. She swallowed hard and gave the young man a sheepish look. "Pardon my manners. I just feel like I haven't eaten in thousands of years." She offered him a plate of fruit and her gaze lingered on his perfect hands as he picked up a pear and took a bite out of it. "You know the entire Greek army is going to come to take Helen back and get revenge."  
  
Paris stared at her, startled. "How do you know all this?"  
  
Liberty shifted uneasily. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you."  
  
The young prince studied her warily. "Try me."  
  
Liberty gave him a skeptical look, and then blurted out. "Apollo told me."  
  
Paris was shocked. "Apollo? The god of the Sun talked to YOU?" He popped some berries into his mouth and chewed thoughtfully. "You must have some sort of connection with the gods then." He looked at her clothes. "You obviously aren't from around here."  
  
Liberty looked down at her ragged clothes. She was wearing red plaid "punk" pants with straps and chains every which way, and a black muscle tank with the words 'MADE IN THE USA' scrawled across it in white lettering. They were dirty and torn in some places.  
  
"Were you a slave?" Paris asked, fingering one of the chains on her pants.  
  
Liberty giggled. "Believe it or not, no, I was never a slave." She unhooked the straps from her pant legs and handed them to him. "I'm definitely not from around here either. From what I gather, one of my ancestors was a daughter of Zeus himself. Maybe that's my connection."  
  
Paris thoughtfully rubbed his chin as he watched this young woman eat before him as soft foot steps echoed down the hall. The figure of a petite young woman approached the table shyly as she brushed some of her long shoulder length brown hair out of her face, pushing it behind her ears.  
  
"Um...excuse me...my lord Paris...but I-I've come to take the lady to her bath is...ready..." she stammered over her own words obviously shy in the presence of the young Trojan prince as she looked down at the floor.  
  
Paris smiled as he rose to his feet, "Ah good good." He went over and placed a hand on the young woman's right shoulder. "Liberty this is one of my servants, Charis. Let her tend to you and serve you during your stay here in Troy. You don't mind do you Charis?"  
  
Charis blushed at the touch from Paris as she shyly shook her head, "N- no...not at all my lord P-Paris. I do not mind. This way my lady." She stepped away from Paris as Liberty rose to her feet and followed Charis down the large hallway to her room.  
  
Charis gently pushed the door open to reveal an ornately decorated room. Lush thick rugs of animal pelts were on the floor, rich fabric curtains dark as the night sky hung over the window, allowing some of the sunset to spill into the room. The bed was covered in a matching cover and big thick, plushy pillows all over it. In the corner of the room was a door way that led to the bath room, which was a room in itself.  
  
"The bath is this way. Water has already been drawn for you." Charis motioned to the tub. "And your bag is here." She pointed to it sitting on a nearby table. "If you need anything, please don't hesitate to summon me, after all, the Prince has left me to tend to you." She sat in a nearby chair touching her shoulder where Paris's hand was moments before and a small blush spread across her cheeks.  
  
Liberty chuckled. "Got a crush on someone?" She reached over and plucked her black messenger bag from the table and opened it, checking to make sure everything was in there and intact. "Paris is beautiful, isn't he?" She looked at the servant with an arched eyebrow. Charis' gaze was somewhere in the heavens, most likely making a new constellation of the princeling. Liberty smiled and dug a tube of liquid lip gloss from her bag. "You and me will get along just fine, I think." She dropped her bag on the floor by the door and sat down on the bed, gesturing for Charis to sit beside her.  
  
"Tell me about yourself, Charis," Liberty inquired. "I'm eager to learn about this place and all of its people. I know about Hector and Paris already, but I want your point of view."  
  
Charis, who was not accustomed to having conversations with the more powerful members of the household looked at Liberty with wide-eyed disbelief. "I- I would not presume to trouble you with the details of my life, Lady," she mumbled, casting her gaze to the ground.  
  
"Trouble me? Please, trouble me!" Liberty fell back on the bed, her blonde hair splaying out behind her like a fan. "I want to know everything. I want to know everyone." She looked at the meek servant girl. "I want you and me to be friends."  
  
"I am not allowed to be 'friends' with royalty," Charis said softly.  
  
"Well it's a good thing I'm not royalty then, isn't it?" Liberty smiled.  
  
Charis looked up at her. "If it's true that you are descended from Zeus, you most certainly are royalty." She began to smooth the bedcovers around Liberty, looking troubled.  
  
"You think I care about that?" Liberty stood up. "I'd rather have someone forced to cater to my every whim like me and be a good conversationalist than a brick wall." She winked. "I know you're accustomed to being part of the scenery when it comes to Paris, but you really should have a mind of your own. That's what I believe anyway."  
  
A small smile tugged at Charis' lips at the mention of Paris. Liberty noted it with a smug look of her own. "So tell me what you think about Paris."  
  
Charis slowly sank into a chair and a dreamy countenance overcame her. "He is the sun that shines on me every morning and the star I wish upon every night. I pray to the gods that somehow I could overcome my servant status to be with him... just once... but I know that could never happen. Sometimes I swear he smiles at me though. A secret smile that is all his own. I know he is infamous for bedding many women, but I don't care. I would be his on a whim if he so desired."  
  
Liberty grinned. "I thought so." She slowly applied some lip gloss and went back over to her bag, dropping it inside. "We'll have to work on making you more than a whim," she said softly.  
  
Charis moved beside her, looking into her bag. "What sort of strange things do you have in there," she asked curiously.  
  
Liberty moved the bag to the table and tipped it upside down, emptying the contents over the surface. "Wow, I didn't know I had brought so much stuff with me." She organized it in little piles, naming and explaining everything to the servant girl as best she could. "This is my Discman and a bunch of CDs... hmm... New Found Glory, Matchbox Twenty, NOFX, Maroon5, Linkin Park, Trapt, Yellowcard... Britney Spears? ICK! I didn't know I brought so many. Oh, they're um, they're bands. Groups of people who play instruments and sing." She opened the Linkin Park CD case and pulled out the shiny disc. "This CD has music embedded in it and this..." She picked up the Discman. "...plays the music through the headphones for you to listen to." She grabbed the set of small speakers and plugged them into the Discman in place of the headphones.  
  
Charis watched, her curiosity piqued, as Liberty put the shiny disc inside the Discman and pushed a button.  
  
"It's a good thing I brought my speakers." Liberty found the song she was looking for and turned the volume up. A low and steady beat emanated from the speakers, startling Charis. It was music she'd never heard before, but it was music.  
  
"I want to heal, I want to feel, what I thought was never real. I want to let go of the pain I've held so long. I want to heal, I want to feel, like I'm close to something real. I want to find something I've wanted all along. Somewhere I belong." A voice echoed through the room.  
  
"That's amazing!" she gushed when the song had ended. "How did they manage to get that man's voice inside that box?" She gently touched the speakers.  
  
Liberty blinked, wondering if Charis could understand what Chester Bennington had been singing. "It's far too complicated for even me to understand. I just go with it." She dropped the Discman and CDs back into her bag. "Let's see. What else have I got? Lip gloss... brush... makeup of various sorts." She giggled, dumping them back in her bag as well. "Ooh, The Lord of the Rings." She picked up a large, leather-bound book. "This book is amazing. There are epic battles, good versus evil, friendship, death, and of course love and life. It's a giant fantasy that actually could have happened." She pushed it across the table and sorted through the other items. "A bottle of water, a bunch of pens, my notebook..." Those were all deposited back into the bag along with the makeup. "My demo reel..." Another shiny disc went into the bag. "Deodorant, sunglasses, body mist, painkillers, Kleenex... I'm going to need all those later, I'm sure." She moved those things over by the book.  
  
"Ah well. To the bath I go. You can go blend into Paris' scenery now," she joked to Charis, strolling into the bathroom.  
  
"HOLY HELL!"  
  
The servant girl appeared at her side immediately. "Something wrong, my lady?"  
  
Liberty pointed at the bath with large eyes and a gaping mouth. "That tub is bigger than my first swimming pool!"  
  
The bath was made of white marble and stood in the middle of the room. Semi- transparent curtains hung all around it, and the water itself smelled of perfume. Flower petals dotted the surface and some had sunk to the bottom. Steam rose and disappeared quickly through a skylight.  
  
"All this because they think I'm related to Zeus, I bet." Liberty looked at Charis. "If not for that fact, I'd probably be in the dungeon right now."  
  
Charis smiled and laid a stack of towels on one of the stairs into the bath. "Not likely. They treat women with respect in Troy." She rubbed her hands on her robe and looked at the strange girl. "Would you like me to help you bathe?"  
  
Liberty grinned. "Nah, that's perfectly okay. I can wash myself." She looked at the bottles situated on the rim of the tub. "I just have to figure out what each of these is."  
  
Charis picked each one up and identified it.  
  
"Right. Shampoo's the only one that matters right now." Liberty gestured to the door. "You can go blend into Paris' scenery now, but we're going to have a talk about that later, you and I."  
  
Charis looked quizzically at the blonde before disappearing through the door, closing it behind her.  
  
Liberty took in the elegance of the room once more. "This crystal clear water ain't going to be clear for long." She shed her clothes and stepped into the steaming water. "Oh yeah. That's the stuff." Immediately, dirt seemed to fall off her body to the bottom of the bath. She submerged herself in the water and rubbed her hair furiously, trying to get all the dust out. When she surfaced, she reached immediately for the shampoo and lathered her hair.  
  
She heard footsteps and soon after, the door opened. Liberty smiled, expecting Charis, but it was Hector that appeared instead.  
  
Liberty shrieked and sunk down into the bath, trying to cover herself.  
  
Hector blushed and immediately looked away. "Em, Lady Liberty?"  
  
"Don't call me that!" Liberty squealed, looking around for something to cover herself with, not wanting to soak the towels just yet. She paused. "Lady Liberty... how... patriotic. Yeah. Don't call me that."  
  
Hector bowed his head. "Apologies, lady, but I would like to speak with you."  
  
"In the tub?" Liberty squeaked, and then shifted around so that nothing would be in view unless Hector stepped closer. "Okay, well... you can look now, I suppose."  
  
Hector raised his gaze to meet hers, his cheeks still flushed. He moved closer to the tub and Liberty shrieked again.  
  
"Stop moving!" she squealed, realizing the white linen towels wouldn't do much to hide anything if she used them anyway. She drew her arms over her chest and glared at him. Hector immediately sat on the floor.  
  
"From down here, I can't see anything, Lady, can I move closer? I wouldn't like to shout at you."  
  
Liberty laughed, despite herself. "As long as you stay down there, sure. You can move closer. Did you choose to corner me now when I can't escape? This must be some interrogation I have in-store for myself."  
  
She noticed for the first time that even out of his armor, he still looked like a warrior. He wore a blue toga and dark leather sandals. She scrubbed at her soapy hair, nervous. "So what is it that can't wait, Prince of Troy?"  
  
Hector looked as nervous as she was. "I have just spoken with Paris. He tells me that you are descended from Zeus himself. Is that true? I'd like to know where you come from, and how you seem to know so much about us."  
  
Liberty sighed. "One second." She submerged herself again, rinsing the soap from her hair. "Okay," she sputtered when she resurfaced. "I'll tell you everything I know, even though you probably won't believe any of it."  
  
She then explained to him that she was from the future and that Zeus somehow brought her back in time and Apollo had told her to go to Troy, but she didn't tell him why. Hector listened intently, his intense gaze never leaving hers.  
  
"So that's my story," she concluded, rinsing the soap off her face. She then looked around. "Um. I have a question for you."  
  
Hector gave her a direct look. "What is it, my lady?"  
  
Liberty smiled. "Well, two questions. One, do you believe me? Two, I have towels, but what am I supposed to wear? My old, ragged, dirty clothes?"  
  
A smile slowly spread across the elder prince's face. "To answer your questions, I think I do believe you, but I'm not sure. And, I'll have someone bring you a robe immediately." He stood and, noting that Liberty didn't move or shriek this time, cast one look at the soapy water that was hiding her body. He immediately chastised himself, reminding himself that he was married with a son, and left quickly.  
  
Liberty saw his face darken as he left and wondered if she had done something wrong. She didn't have time to wonder long, however, when Charis appeared with a long white robe like the one Helen had been wearing. She quickly dried herself and dressed, wanting to go find King Priam and see whether he could be convinced not to fight this war, and also to have a long chat with Charis and find her true feelings for Paris. Perhaps she could be the link to sending Helen home. 


	3. Necessary Deception

Liberty wandered around the palace, memorizing the important details, and soon found herself in what she assumed was the throne room. Benches lined the sides of the long hall with statues of various gods and goddesses behind them. There was a large throne at the head of the room with a statue of Apollo behind it and two smaller thrones, one on each side. In the center of the room, a reflecting pool divided the lines of benches. She sat on the smaller throne to the left and looked around.  
  
"Hello, my beautiful, wandering girl," a voice echoed through the hall. King Priam emerged from behind the small throne on the right and smiled at her. Liberty rose to her feet and walked over to be embraced by the elderly monarch. "My sons have been talking about you all day. I assume you wish to speak with me."  
  
Liberty nodded, her heart immediately going out to this old man in long, regal, robes. She sat back down in the left throne while he took the one in the center. "Sire, you must know by now that Agamemnon has sent a thousand ships here to declare war on your people."  
  
Priam looked at the girl with kind, ice-blue eyes. "I suspected as much, yes. Agamemnon is using Menelaus' humiliation as an excuse to try and take over Troy."  
  
Liberty laid her hand across the king's arm. "How can you sit back and let them come? Aren't you going to prepare for the war?"  
  
Priam was stone-faced. "Troy's walls have never fallen to an enemy. It won't happen now."  
  
Liberty was furious. This old man's pride was getting in the way. He was definitely not the way to stop the war. As he left, her head spun. Did she want to stop this war? This would mean changing history. Her head throbbed as she battled herself over changing history or saving the people she'd grown to love.  
  
"How can I sit around and let Hector die? How can I let Troy fall to the Greeks?" she shouted at the statues. "You can't ask me to change history! This needs to happen! We name part of our bodies after Achilles after this! You made me fall in love with this place and these people! You gave them faces and personalities! You knew that knowing them would make me want to save them." She moved to the edge of the reflecting pool and stared at herself in it. "How can I risk changing the future by trying to save them? How can I risk my past for Hector's future?"  
  
Small circles broke the mirror-like surface as Liberty's tears fell.  
  
"Lady?" a soft voice cooed behind her.  
  
Liberty turned to see Charis standing in the doorway to the throne.  
  
"Is this true?" Charis asked, fear reflecting in her wide eyes. "You are sent from the future because Troy is going to fall?"  
  
Liberty quickly brushed the remaining tears out of her eyes and looked at her new friend. "Not if I can help it." She got up and grabbed the girl's hands. "How much do you love Paris?" Her eyes searched Charis'.  
  
Charis dropped her gaze quickly. "About as much as you love Hector, I'd wager." Her face fell. "And neither of us will have them because they are both in love with someone else."  
  
Liberty shook her head. "Hector is married, so I'm screwed, but in your case, again, not if I can help it. If you love Paris, you should be with Paris. Trust me, Helen is not the woman for him, as much as he thinks she is."  
  
Charis looked up at Liberty, "I know this...but what can I, a lowly servant do? Charis sank to her knees, "I've loved Paris for many years...yet my shyness has prevented me from doing anything...and every time I have gathered up enough nerve to confront him with my feelings...he always has another woman on his arm." She paused for a moment to sigh and two small, barely noticeable tears rolled down her cheeks. "I do not want my lord Paris to die because of this Helen. But what can I do my lady?"  
  
Charis looked up and saw Liberty pacing back and forth with her arms folded behind her back obviously in deep thought, "We have to get Paris to see the beauty that's been by his side and in front of his eyes instead of being infatuated with Helen."  
  
Charis rose to her feet and wiped her cheeks with the back of her left hand, "How do we do that?"  
  
Liberty suddenly stopped in mid-stride, "I'm not sure actually."  
  
"Well whatever we come up with my lady, I will help you as much as I can."  
  
Liberty sat down again, deep in thought. "Pretty much all royalty never looks at a servant when it comes to love. We'll have to play a slight trick to get Paris to notice you... as a woman, not a servant."  
  
Charis looked at her nervously. "What do I have to do?"  
  
Liberty grinned.  
  
Liberty sat down to dinner beside Hector, with Paris one seat down on her right and Helen next to him. Andromache sat on the other side of Hector, looking at Liberty warily. A few moments into the meal, Liberty itched the back of her head and Charis appeared in the doorway.  
  
All eyes were on the beautiful brown-haired girl that slowly made her way across the room and nervously sat between Liberty and Paris.  
  
"I should not be doing this. We could both get in incredible trouble. Servants do not eat with royalty," Charis whispered in Liberty's ear.  
  
Liberty smiled. "No one knows who you are, trust me."  
  
Paris leaned forward and looked at Liberty. "Lady, pray introduce us to your beautiful friend."  
  
Helen shot a scathing look at both girls as Liberty stood and Charis beside her. "This is my new friend... Amalthea."  
  
Charis curtsied lightly and both sat back down. Liberty smiled with satisfaction and she noted all the men staring at her and Charis. Both girls were wearing Liberty's red lip gloss and had their hair done in cascading curls. Charis wore a lavender-colored dress with long ties flowing from the shoulders. Liberty wore a white gown with light blue trim and a silver necklace.  
  
"No one will take you as a servant tonight," Liberty whispered to her friend. "You are a beautiful woman and Helen is obviously jealous." Both caught glances at Helen pinching Paris as he stared at Charis.  
  
"Amalthea," Hector said, leaning forward. "Welcome to our table."  
  
"Here, here!" the table echoed.  
  
After a few moments, Andromache got up, looking irritated, and quickly left the table. Liberty looked at Hector. He smiled apologetically and took off after his wife. Helen left soon after, but Paris stayed, talking with Charis, not knowing whom she was. Charis nervously bit her lower lip as she saw Helen get up and leave as she continued to make polite conversation with Paris.  
  
Paris inched closer to Charis with that dashing smile of his, "So tell me, Amalthea..."  
  
Paris's voice broke Charis out of her staring at the dimples in his cheeks that appeared when he smiled, "Y-yes P-prince?"  
  
"How have I never noticed you before?" He chuckled and rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment, "A beauty like you can hardly go unnoticed, especially here."  
  
Charis blushed, "Oh...well...let us just say that I've always been here just not noticed." She then looked down at her hands and began wringing her hands together to try to rid them of sweat.  
  
Paris inched closer to Charis, "Oh?"  
  
Charis looked up and nodded, "Oh...yes...let's just say that I've just been a part of the scenery." She blushed and inched a bit away from Paris. She looked up and instantly got lost in his big brown puppy dog eyes as he leaned over and wrapped his arm around of her waist. Charis could feel the blush grow on her cheeks. "One thing Prince...Paris."  
  
He nodded, "Yes Amalthea?"  
  
Charis took a deep breath and put her hand on his cheek, "See me for me."  
  
The young prince blinked in obvious confusion and as he goes to say something, Charis puts the fingers of her right hands over his lips to silence him and repeats what she said. She then blinks away tears obviously becoming nervous at the closeness between her and Paris and slips out of his arm and runs out of the room. Paris sits there confused as everything sinks in as a chiding voice breaks him out of his thought.  
  
"Go after her you fool!" His mind yells at him. "You've never felt anything like this before. This is different, not as when you saw Helen and wanted her...you know that this is what love really feels like. Follow her! Don't let her go!"  
  
Paris jumps out of his seat and chases after her, "Amalthea! Wait!" Paris squinted his eyes trying to see which way she went down the dark hall as he runs and rounds a corner and collides with Charis, both ending up a heap on the floor.  
  
"Oh goodness! My lord Paris! Are you alright?" Charis jumps to her feet and quickly helps the young prince up.  
  
Paris nods as he rubs his rear as Charis goes back into Liberty's chamber and comes back out with a small lit torch, "I'm alright Charis. Are you hurt?"  
  
Charis shakes her head, "No no I'm alright my lord."  
  
Paris smiles, "Good." He stops and studies Charis for a moment, "There is something different about you. Your lips...they look shiny."  
  
"Oh! Goodness! Well I was um...in the Lady's bag was this thing she called, gloss of lips...and I was trying it on...I must have forgotten to remove it from my lips." She then wiped the lip gloss off on the sleeve of her tattered servant dress.  
  
"Oh I see. Say Charis...you haven't seen a young woman come this way have you? Long brown hair in curls and clothed in a pale lavender gown. She was a vision of beauty, like Aphrodite descended to Earth." Paris suddenly put his hand over his mouth shocked at what had just come out of his mouth, why would he be saying such things when he had Helen?  
  
Charis' eyes went wide at the words Paris had just spoken, "N-no my lord I have seen no one except for you."  
  
Paris sighed, obviously disappointed in loosing sight of Amalthea, "I see...well thank you Charis."  
  
"You are welcome my lord...is there anything I can do for you?" Charis reached out and took hold of his hand gently.  
  
Paris blinked down at the sudden, yet gentle touch of Charis' hand as he shook his head, "No no but if I do need you I will summon you. Thank you." He smiled before slipping his hand out of Charis' and departing back down the hallway. Charis sighed as she watched him go in the faint torch light before he disappeared in the dark where the light couldn't reach.  
  
Liberty appeared soon after, pulling her hair out of the curls. "Well, it's a step. He's still blind to your being a servant." She looked at the heartbroken girl. "Oh dear." She pulled Charis into a hug. "Everything will work out, Charis. I promise. Helen is spoiled and selfish. You are selfless and kind. He will see you."  
  
She opened the door to her room and disappeared inside. "Best get some sleep tonight. Tomorrow is going to be a big day."  
  
Charis blinked. "Why?"  
  
Liberty looked grave. "The Greeks land on the beach tomorrow." 


	4. The Truth About Love

Liberty awoke to the sound of alarmed voices rushing up and down the halls. She sighed and rolled over, pulling her arm up over her eyes. "Yes, yes. The Greeks are here. Everybody panic."  
  
Her door burst open and Charis rushed inside. "Helen is gone, my lady! She fled the city this morning! Menelaus doesn't believe though, so he's still calling for Paris' head." Her eyes welled up. "Is Paris going to die?"  
  
Liberty grabbed Charis' arm and pulled her down onto the bed. "No, love. Paris is not going to die." She looked toward her window. "But I fear for Hector's sake right now."  
  
"Hector's wife has been following him around all morning, with his crying son. She screams that she will not see him die. She wants to leave the city and take him with her, but he won't go." Charis met Liberty's eyes. "You may get Hector yet. It seems he and Andromache were fighting all night because she found out he visited you while in the bath. I'm afraid Priam also wants to see you gone. He says you've caused a lot of trouble in this kingdom. He blames Helen leaving on you, and the Greek attack."  
  
Liberty laughed, despite her somber mood. "I guess we better tell the gods that the deal is off."  
  
"What deal?"  
  
The two girls turned to see Hector standing in the doorway, a threatening look on his face. "Charis, please tend to Paris. He was wounded in a stupid fight with Menelaus."  
  
Charis gasped and rushed from the room.  
  
Liberty was about to greet the Trojan prince when he grabbed her roughly by the arms and threw her down onto the bed, pinning her with his body. "What have you done!?!" he shouted into her face. "My wife is threatening to leave me. Helen has already left. My father says that you brought the Greeks here and that you're trying to separate me from my wife. What are you about, witch?!"  
  
Liberty hissed at the pain where his hands dug into her arms. "Fuck you, Hector. I don't know if you know what that means, but it's bad. I am not a fucking witch. I am from the future. I know everything that happens. I read the book. I read about how you die at the hand of Achilles and Troy burns." Tears slid freely down her cheeks. "I am changing history by helping you, but it's something I need to do, whether or not it changes the future." She struggled beneath his powerful form. "I could destroy everything I know by doing this, but Zeus and Apollo brought me here and made me..." She dropped off.  
  
Hector shook her roughly, tears threatening to form in his own eyes. "You what? Tell me! You what, Liberty!?"  
  
"I FELL IN LOVE WITH YOU!" Liberty screamed, startling him enough that she rolled him off her and took off running.  
  
She barely made it to the door when Hector appeared, blocking her way and pushing her up against the wall. He stared angrily into her eyes for a few moments, until he suddenly pressed his lips to hers. She was afraid and didn't know how to respond until he deepened the kiss and she couldn't help but kiss him back.  
  
After he broke the kiss, he dropped his head onto her shoulder and grimaced. "What have you done to me? You've turned my world upside down. What am I supposed to do when I love my wife and son, but I also love you?"  
  
Liberty pried his hand from her arms. "You are supposed to be loyal to your country, but also careful." She reached up and caressed the side of his face. "Your wife is a good woman. Be with her. But also... a warning." She swallowed hard and avoided his questioning gaze. "Be careful when it comes to Achilles. Please."  
  
She ducked out of his grasp and ran off down the hall. Hector didn't follow her. He was too stunned.  
  
Charis knocked on the door before poking her head into the room, "Lord Paris?"  
  
Paris looked up from his bed, sprawled out on his back with the wound on his leg bleeding through the ill made bandage, "Come in..." he sighed heavily, clothed in nothing more than the sheet from his bed.  
  
Charis came in with a bowl of fresh water and bandages and sat on the bed next to his leg that poked out from underneath the sheet, "Are you alright?" she dipped a rag into the water, before removing the blood soaked bandages so that she could tend to the wound.  
  
Paris nodded from underneath his arm that was lying across his eyes, shielding them from the light that poured into his room, "Yes, I'm fine." He then winced at the touch on his wound.  
  
"You're lucky to still be alive my lord."  
  
"I know...but I couldn't concentrate..."  
  
"Because of the Lady Helen leaving?"  
  
Paris gritted his teeth from another sharp pain as Charis began to stitch the wound close, "No...because of that woman from last night before I ran into you. Amalthea."  
  
"What about her?"  
  
"It wasn't her beauty...I've never felt like this...perhaps it is what true love is...but she said the oddest thing to me." Charis looked up as she finished stitching and began to wrap the wound in bandages as he let out a sigh, "She told me...oh what was it?" Paris sat up and folded his arms in thought as he tried to remember.  
  
Charis got up off the bed and walked over to a nearby table setting the bowl and other items down, "She told you to see her for her." She spoke with her back to the Prince.  
  
Paris blinked at Charis, "But...how did you know? Servants aren't allowed in the hall during meals."  
  
Charis spun around and looked at him, "Can you not see?" Tears sprang free from Charis' eyes as she began to sob softly. She buried her face in her hands as she ran from the room. Moments later she reappeared wearing the soft lavender dress and sat on the bed next to the Prince.  
  
Paris's eyes went wide as the realization hit him like it was one of Zeus's lightning bolts, "It...was you...my dear...Charis..."  
  
Charis nodded as Paris gently took hold of her hands, "It was...it has always been me..." She sniffled and choked on her sob. "I...have always loved...you...Paris..."  
  
Paris wrapped his arms gently around Charis' frame, "You...my gentle Charis...have taught me...what real true love is...that is why Helen left...I realized after seeing you that I didn't love her...I just desired her...lusted for her...like all those other women...but when I held you in my arm last night...there was this new feeling...my heart skipped a beat...I couldn't think of anything but you...that's why I came looking. I wanted to understand that feeling...I wanted to hold that woman again...and here she has been right in front of me this entire time."  
  
Paris leaned forward and wiped the tears off of Charis' face with his thumbs gently, before gently running his right thumb over her lips. Before Charis could even draw a breath in to protest, not as if she would have at that moment – Paris's lips met hers in a gentle kiss as she wrapped her arms around his torso and held onto him as if she never wanted to let go.  
  
Paris sighed as his head rested on Charis' shoulder, his warm breath tickled the nape of her neck before he sat up, "Forgive me...for being so blind to the beauty in front of me." As he apologized Paris gently caressed her cheek with his left hand.  
  
Charis nuzzled against the warmth of Paris' hand before she looked up at him, "It was not entirely your fault Paris...my shyness would always get the better of me."  
  
Paris leaned in mere inches away from Charis' face before running his fingers over her lips again, being gentle yet fascinated with their softness. Despite all that was going on in the world beyond the walls of Paris' room seemed to vanish, both he and Charis caught up in the moment.  
  
His hands then made their way to each of her shoulders and undid the ties of the dress as the fabric fell and gathered around her waist. Charis blushed and her force of habit caused to her cover herself up, but Paris stopped her by gently grabbing hold of her hands.  
  
"It's alright...no reason to be ashamed, you are very beautiful..."  
  
Paris reached up and ran his fingertips over the skin of Charis' shoulder, then began to leave small kisses across her shoulder making his way to the nape of her neck. He then lifted his head and kissed her cheek before grazing his lips across hers, teasing her before finally kissing her lips. Charis wrapped her arms loosely around Paris' neck as he pulled her into his lap. As she returned the kiss, Charis ran her hands over his broad shoulders savoring the feeling of how soft his skin was.  
  
It was Paris who was broke the kiss, breathless. He paused to draw in a few deep breaths as his hands feasted on the supple skin of Charis' breasts. He smiled as he could feel her nipples react to his touch as he pinched and teased them with both hands. Charis let out a small moan of approval as she ran her hands through Paris' thick curls. Freeing his left hand from playing with Charis' right breast, Paris lowered his hand down to where the fabric of the dress was draped over her thigh. He pushed the fabric aside as he ran his hand up and down her outer thigh, gently caressing her skin as Charis nibbled on his right ear lobe. Her warm breath against his cheek caused Paris to get small chills He then slid his hand from her outer thigh to her inner thigh. Charis bit her lower lip in a poor attempt to muffle another moan as she could feel the Prince begin to massage the sensitive flesh in-between her legs. Lifting her head, Charis met Paris' lips with a hungry kiss, which he eagerly returned.  
  
After a few moments of rubbing the sensitive flesh in between Charis' legs Paris stopped and broke the kiss gently, "I will be as gentle as I can."  
  
Charis nodded an understanding nod as Paris gathered her up into his right arm and parted her legs with his left hand. Paris then pulled her into his lap gently as he slowly entered her. Charis let out a small painful cry as Paris' pelvis pressed against hers and his arms wrapped around her.  
  
"The pain won't last for long. Are you alright?" He asked with genuine concern in his voice as he wiped the two tears rolling down her cheeks away with his hands.  
  
Charis nodded, "I am. Temporary pain is bearable finally being able to be one with you."  
  
Paris sat there pausing for a few moments letting the pain subside having broken Charis' purity. Charis drew in a breath as the pain finally subsided; she then cupped Paris' face gently in her hands and drew his face near for a kiss.  
  
Paris smiled through the kiss running his hands gently through her hair as the kiss ended, "I love you." He said softly barely above a whisper.  
  
Charis smiled a warm, gentle smile kissing the tip of his nose, "I love you too."  
  
Paris leaned back against the headboard still one with Charis and his hands rested on her hips as she shifted becoming comfortable in the new position. She leaned forward and ran her hands over Paris' muscular chest as she swayed against him, pressing her pelvis against Paris'. He reached up and gently cupped her face in his hands as he lowered it down to him to give her a hungry kiss, which she returned eagerly. Paris pressed himself against Charis causing her to break the kiss with a low moan. Their swaying motion quickened and as their bodies intertwined, caught up in the moment of passion. Low cries of pleasure filled the room as the new lovers reached their peak. Charis laid her head on Paris' shoulder as they attempted to catch their breath. The quiet in the room embraced them both as they rested.  
  
Suddenly frantic footsteps of servants were heard as they ran up and down the hall.  
  
"One of the myrmidons is at the front gate!"  
  
"The myrmidon warrior seeks vengeance! His cousin was slain by Prince Hector!"  
  
"They say his name is Achilles and he is one of the greatest warriors ever known!"  
  
As quickly as it had come, the love and peace enclosed in the four walls of Paris' chamber was shattered with the fear of death looming. Paris and Charis quickly scrambled out of bed, clothed themselves, and ran towards the main gate where Achilles awaited Hector. 


	5. The Death of a Legend

"HECTOR!!!" Achilles screamed repeatedly.  
  
Hector had killed his young cousin. Achilles burned for vengeance. "HECTOR!!!!"  
  
Hector and the rest of the royal family, including Paris and his new lover, Charis, watched from atop the city wall as Achilles stormed around below. Hector was resolving himself to his fate and his wife was trying to talk him out of it.  
  
"Hector, if you do this, I will never forgive you," Andromache said coldly.  
  
Hector took his son out of her arms and hugged him to his cheek. "I love you both."  
  
"I hate you, Hector," Andromache hissed. She took back her son and fled off down the hall, crying.  
  
Hector began to descend the stairs when he heard the giant wooden doors open. As he reached the bottom, a small, armor-clad figure walked out of the gate. The guards pulled it closed behind them. Hector rushed to the heavy wooden doors just as they slammed shut.  
  
"Who went through the gate?" he demanded, grabbing the nearest guard.  
  
The man stammered. "I'm not sure, Prince Hector."  
  
"It was a woman," another guard piped up. "A beautiful blonde woman. I saw her putting the armor on."  
  
Hector's eyes widened and he flew up the steps to the top of the wall. "NO!!!" he screamed over the wall.  
  
Achilles studied the figure that approached him. "You're not Hector. Who are you?"  
  
Liberty pulled off her helmet and tossed it on the ground. "Someone that it will kill him if I die as much as it killed you that your cousin died." She pulled her pocketknife out of her armor and flipped it open. "Fight me to continue this stupid war, or go home and live. If you stay, you will die. Both your mother and I know this."  
  
Achilles slowly approached Liberty. She stood her ground defiantly. The famed warrior looked up to the top of the wall where Hector watched in helpless horror. "You aren't his wife. Why does he seem to love you so much?"  
  
"I don't know," she answered honestly. "But I love him, and thus the effect is the same."  
  
Achilles reached out and grabbed her face roughly. "I should kill you just to spare you the heartbreak."  
  
Liberty spit in his face and Achilles wrenched her around, one arm pinning her by the shoulders, both of them facing the wall. "How much does he love you?" the warrior growled. He looked up into Hector's horrified face and smiled. "Let us kill him slowly from the inside out." He stuck his sword into the ground and wrapped his free arm around the young woman's trembling body. With a sadistic smile, he turned and licked the side of her face. "Mm, you taste like strawberries, beautiful girl. I wonder, has the Prince of Troy claimed you as his prize yet?" He slid his free arm down and under her skirt.  
  
Liberty let out an anguished howl that would break any man's heart. Unfortunately, it seemed Achilles was without one, so he provoked the Trojans further, inciting every ounce of wrath in Hector's body.  
  
"Oh, so the beautiful girl has not yet known a man. I wouldn't want to send you to Hades so unfulfilled." Achilles strengthened his grasp as Liberty fought to get free.  
  
A sudden, searing pain in his leg forced him to release the girl. Achilles looked down to see a silver pocketknife protruding from his thigh. "Clever whore," he hissed, approaching the terrified woman. "I'll take you right now and show both you and your precious prince the meaning of pain." He ripped the knife from his leg and threw it to the ground, glancing toward the top of the wall, but Hector was no longer there.  
  
Liberty ran for her life as the gates of Troy slowly opened. Hector appeared, all of the fury of the gods apparent on his handsome face. Liberty reached for his hand, but was struck down before she could reach him. She fell to the sand, a spear protruding from the middle of her lower back.  
  
Hector had no time to react. Achilles was only a couple feet from the helpless girl, attempting to drive the spear home and end her life. He roared in agony and clashed swords with the enemy warrior. "I will kill you for this," he hissed through the locked weapons.  
  
"Oh, Hector. Don't be so jealous. Just because I was the first man ever to intimately know that girl," Achilles taunted playfully. "I will tell you now, I know your cousin, Briseis, even better, and quite often."  
  
"You bastard," Hector growled through gritted teeth. "I will personally see to it that your bones are ground to dust." Achilles simply smiled and dodged the swing of Hector's shield, jumping back and running for his own.  
  
Paris rushed out and scooped up Liberty's rumpled body. He was relieved to find her conscious and breathing. "Thank the gods, you're alive," he said softly, hurrying back inside the closing gate with the wounded woman.  
  
"No, no," Liberty moaned, reaching for the giant doors. "I need to see. Hector... he's... he's..."  
  
"He's fine," Paris whispered, gently wiping the hair out of the girl's whitening face.  
  
Charis appeared next to him and they carried Liberty into the nearest room. Charis got to work, pulling the spear out of her back while Paris paced back and forth in the room, nervously.  
  
"Will she live?" he asked nervously, watching the color drain from Liberty's face. He grabbed her hand and rubbed it lightly. "Please stay with us, Liberty. We need you. Hector needs you. His wife left. His son is without a mother and will be if you die."  
  
Liberty's eyes fluttered closed, then opened again. "Paris..."  
  
Paris leaned closer. "What is it, my lady?"  
  
"Give Hector your bow," she said softly, sweat pouring down her forehead as Charis worked hard to repair her back.  
  
Paris bolted out of the small room and rushed out to the gate, shouldering his bow. "Let me out," he ordered the guard, who immediately obeyed.  
  
Paris rushed out to see Hector and Achilles still locked in the heat of battle. Hector was looking worn, and had more wounds than Achilles.  
  
"Hector!" Paris yelled, throwing his bow and quiver to the ground by his brother.  
  
Hector shoved Achilles back and rolled, grasping the bow and launching an arrow in one fluid motion. He caught Achilles in the back of his foot, dropping him from mid-air. Hector quickly grabbed another arrow and let it fly into Achilles' chest. He then dropped the bow and picked up his sword, glaring at the wounded warrior. "See you in Hades," he ground out, cleanly decapitating the Greek with one heavy blow.  
  
He threw his sword to the ground and screamed his frustration to the gods. The Greeks down on the beach heard it and knew their beloved idol was dead.  
  
Hector stumbled back inside the gates, ignoring the cheers of the Trojans on the wall. "Where is she?" he growled at Paris. "Where is she?"  
  
Paris pointed to the nearby room. "She's in there. The spear went to her spine." He looked scared. "She said you would die. I was afraid-"  
  
Hector cut him off. "I am alive. I'm changing her future for her. Can I see her?" His face was almost as pale as Liberty.  
  
Paris nodded and Hector threw himself through the door.  
  
Charis looked miserable as she wiped Liberty's forehead. She looked up sadly as Hector came into view. The warrior's heart plummeted to the bottom of his chest.  
  
"Gods no. Please don't make me lose two women I love in one day." He fell to his knees by the table.  
  
"It takes more than that to stop me," Liberty said weakly from the table.  
  
Hector felt like he would burst with happiness. She was alive! Paris smiled, relieved, and kissed Charis on the side of the head. She smiled too and stitched the wound closed.  
  
"Is this the end of the war?" Paris asked nervously.  
  
"I don't know," Hector said. "I think we've changed this history Liberty spoke of too much for even her to tell."  
  
"The Trojan Horse," Liberty wheezed. "They may yet build the horse. If they do..." she dropped off into unconsciousness before she could finish. 


	6. Wounds Healed and Wounds Made

Charis sighed as she stood in the doorway of the room where Liberty was recovering from her wound. She looked out the nearest window and watched the dark purple of the sunset give way to the night.  
  
"No...must...stay away....Trojan Horse..." Liberty muttered as she slept.  
  
Charis blinked as Liberty muttered repeating what she had said before bolting out of the room and in search of Prince Hector, "Lord Hector! Lord Hector!" Charis ran down the dim hallway and rounded a corner crashing into both Paris and Hector both having heard her calling for Hector.  
  
"Charis? Are you alright?" Hector asked once he got his bearings again.  
  
Charis nodded as she quickly rose to her feet and bowed an apologetic bow to him, "Yes my lord. I am alright. However, quickly you must come with me; the Lady Liberty is speaking in her sleep. She speaks of the thing she spoke of earlier...the horse of Troy...no no what was it?"  
  
Paris piped up as he helped his brother off the floor, "You mean the Trojan Horse?"  
  
"Yes! That's it! She's been saying to stay away from the horse. But I don't understand it. Perhaps she is awake now and we can find out more about this Trojan Horse." She then grabbed a hand of each of the princes and literally dragged them off with all of the strength in her tiny five foot five frame.  
  
Once he caught his footing, Hector raced ahead of the others, skidding to a halt next to the trembling body of his new love. He rubbed her exposed back gently, looking down at the angry wound just above her tailbone. To the right of it was a strange black marking he'd never seen before. It almost looked like writing of some sort.  
  
He reached down and began to gently massage her legs, hoping she would regain feeling in them. "My love, my Desert Rose, are you awake?"  
  
Liberty's nose wrinkled up and she sneezed. "Stop," she rasped wearily. "Your rough hands are tickling my legs."  
  
Hector's face broke out in a smile. "You can feel this?" He traced his finger down the center of her left foot. She kicked at him.  
  
"Yes, stop."  
  
Paris appeared shortly after, clutching the hand of his former servant. He inspected Liberty's wound before pointing to the black markings. "What is this?" he asked. "You have writing of some sort on your skin." He ran his fingers over it and looked at them. "It doesn't seem to come off."  
  
Liberty tried to laugh, ending in a coughing fit. "That's a tattoo. It's ink embedded in my skin. It won't come off. It says 'Freedom' in... a language that never existed."  
  
"Liberty," Charis whispered. "Freedom. How befitting for this girl."  
  
Paris grew confused at the mention of a language that never existed, but decided not to question it. "Come, love, we should leave these two alone. They have much to talk about, and so do we." He took his lover's hand once again and escorted her out of the room.  
  
"Hector?" Liberty asked meekly. "This table is very uncomfortable. Do you think it would be okay if you helped me to my bed?" She reached out an arm for him and he rushed to her side, scooping her limp form into his arms, as well as the linen sheet that was barely covering her.  
  
She draped her arms around his neck and smiled at him. He attempted to look angry, but could only smile back. "That was incredibly stupid of you, girl. What made you think you could face Achilles like that?"  
  
Liberty bit her lip thoughtfully. "I had to do something to change the circumstances. If you had gone out there first, alone, you would have died. I'd forfeit my life before I'd let that happen."  
  
"Apparently you tried to," the prince broke in. "Why would you do such a thing?"  
  
Liberty's face grew sad. "Because I love you, even though I know I can never have you."  
  
Hector turned into her room and carefully deposited Liberty on the bed. "You have me. You always will. I love you too." He crawled onto the mattress beside her, gently running his fingers over her stomach, still covered in only a linen sheet.  
  
"What about Andromache?" Liberty asked, confused.  
  
Hector was preoccupied with something under the sheet. "Didn't Charis tell you? Andromache left. She left my son here, but took one of the guards with her. Apparently they'd been lovers for quite some time." He pushed the sheet aside to expose her navel, and the silver hoop protruding from it. "For someone who claims to have never been a slave, you sure have a lot of metal on your person." He fingered the hoop lightly. "What is the purpose of this?"  
  
Liberty giggled. "It looks pretty. Don't you think?"  
  
Hector raised an eyebrow at her. "It's only purpose is to look pretty? I'd have thought your master would attach a chain to it and drag you around like a dog on a leash." He tugged lightly on the piercing, an amused look on his face. "But in a more serious matter, what is this horse you've been speaking of?"  
  
Liberty's mouth went dry. "The horse. Oh God." She tried to sit up, but hissed in pain and fell back onto the mattress. Hector resumed his position beside her and cradled her head in his hand.  
  
"Don't try to move. It could tear the wound," he ordered in a soft tone. "Relax and tell me what you know. What has the future told us of this 'Trojan Horse'?"  
  
Liberty reached up and ran her fingers through his dark locks. "The Greeks built this giant horse out of wood from their destroyed ships. They leave it on the beach as a supposed 'gift', but it is no gift. Though you will see neither ships, nor living men anywhere near, the Greeks have stashed their ships in a bay nearby and the horse is actually filled with men. They are planning on your bringing the horse into the city to celebrate your victory. Come nightfall, the warriors will leave the horse and burn Troy to the ground."  
  
Hector smiled and kissed Liberty lightly on the lips. "That is a small worry. I will not let that thing in this city."  
  
"Not if your father has his way," Liberty said seriously. "Follow Paris' advice. Burn it where it stands on the beach."  
  
Hector sighed. "That means this stalemate of a war will just keep raging until the Greeks think of something else."  
  
"Better a stalemate for now than Troy falling." Liberty blinked back some tears. "Preventing the Trojan Horse entering the city will surely change the future. I may have just killed countless men in a future war." She turned her face away from the prince and cried silently.  
  
Hector rose off the bed and went over to the table and got the bandages and other crude medical items before returning back to Liberty's bedside, "Roll over, let me check those bandages." He gently placed his hands on her shoulders and rolled Liberty onto her stomach, "Fear not we will come to that whenever it comes. Just knowing you are alive is enough for me right now." Hector carefully removed the bandages and dabbed a damp cloth over the stitches, cleaning off the dried blood. Liberty winced under his gentle touch. Her skin was still sensitive. "You know, the scar this wound will leave behind will be a great story to tell one day."  
  
Liberty snickered, "Yeah right. By the time this thing becomes a scar you guys will be bored to death with hearing about it."  
  
For the first time since she arrived in Troy, Hector let out a loud laugh that filled the room, "Perhaps, but then again – you and I can compare stories about our wounds." He then leaned down and gently kissed the wound.  
  
Liberty gasped, taken by surprise by the actions of the eldest prince and giggled, "Your beard's tickling me."  
  
Hector smiled, "Apologies. I shall have to find another area to kiss so that it will not tickle." He then applied a small amount of aloe onto the wound before redressing it. He then leaned over, kissed Liberty's right shoulder blade, and caressed her cheek gently. "I will stay here and take care of you, for now just rest and do not let worry burden you."  
  
Liberty smiled, cupping his face in her hands, her eyes slowly drifting closed. "Worry? You're alive. That's all that matters. If you want, I could fly." Her hand slowly moved to the bed.  
  
Hector brushed her long bangs out of her eyes. "Fly, then, to the land of dreams. Dream about something beautiful and wake to me in the morning."  
  
As she drifted off, Liberty whispered. "Something beautiful. I'll dream of you."  
  
Hector kissed her forehead lightly, slowly sliding off the bed. "Goodnight, my beautiful Desert Rose," he said softly, leaving the room to find the nurse and his son.  
  
"I wonder if Hector's son is really his," Paris thought aloud, stroking Charis' arm.  
  
They lay together on his bed, staring up at the ceiling. Charis leaned into him and wrapped her free arm around his waist, propping her head up with the other one. "I can't believe Lady Andromache would do such a thing. She always seemed so kind and loyal to Hector."  
  
"And I seemed so in love with Helen," Paris said regretfully, pulling Charis closer. "I cannot believe I was so blinded by her beauty. She threatened me when she heard of my talking with Liberty once, did you know that? She always wanted me to look only at her. She even got angry when I went to the temple of Apollo to visit my cousin Briseis. That's when we brought Liberty back with us." He sighed. "I'm glad she's back. She had been Achilles' captive, but when he died, she escaped. How could Helen have been jealous of my cousin?" He kissed Charis lightly on the lips. "I have heard that Helen went back to Greece and took a husband there. I'm glad to be rid of her. It opened my eyes to see you."  
  
He furrowed his eyebrows and looked at the ceiling. "I don't think I would have noticed you as anything but a servant, if it weren't for Liberty. I feel so ashamed about that."  
  
Charis brushed the hair off his forehead lightly, turning his face to look at hers. "It's the way you were raised. I don't blame you."  
  
Paris smiled, studying her face. "How would you like to become a Princess of Troy?" He laughed. "That would make my father so angry, taking a servant for my wife. But I don't care. It's not like I'm in line for the throne. Hector will be king, and Liberty will likely be his queen. That leaves you and me to live peacefully in Troy. Me and my beautiful wife, Charis." He kissed her nose and looked into her eyes. "What do you say? Would you marry me?"  
  
Charis' eyes welled up and her face glowed with a bright smile. "It's all I've ever dreamed of, Paris. Of course. I would marry you yesterday." She smiled and kissed him.  
  
"Thank the gods!" Paris exclaimed, turning over so Charis was underneath him, kissing her deeply. 


	7. A Wife Made and Lost

It had been a month and the Greeks were still camped out on the beach, attempting futile attacks on the wall every so often, only to be driven back by the annoyed Trojans. Hector had sent one of the wounded Greeks to Agamemnon with a treaty. If the proud king would give up and leave the shores of Troy, no more of his men would need to die. So far there was no word of Agamemnon's decision.  
  
Paris and Charis had been married less than a week after he had proposed, but he had decided that he wanted to help defend Troy, so he was often busy going into battle with his elder brother.  
  
Liberty had taken an immediate attachment to Hector's son, Astyanax, and would hold him while she watched Hector lead the Trojans into attack after attack of the Greeks. She couldn't help but be afraid that, one time, he might not return, considering their entire history was up in the air. She comforted the child until a nurse came to take him for a feeding.  
  
Hector rode back through the gates, leading his tired, but victorious army. Liberty rushed down the stairs and leapt into his arms as he dismounted his horse.  
  
"Careful, girl!" Hector chided, holding her in his arms. "For one, you are not fully healed. And another, I'm sweaty and covered in blood that is not my own." He smiled and pressed his forehead to hers.  
  
"Hector, you paranoid git," Liberty said with a giggle, "I am just fine. I am healed." A mischievous smile crossed her lips and she leaned into his ear and whispered, "If you are so dirty, perhaps we should go bathe."  
  
Hector shook his head and carried her up to his room. "As you wish, my lady," he said with a wink. "What's a git?"  
  
Liberty just laughed.  
  
She hummed to herself while he carried her, and leapt out of his arms as soon as the door was shut, dancing seductively and singing:  
  
"Baby, can't you see, I'm calling. A guy like you should wear a warning. It's dangerous, I'm fallin'." She stripped off her clothes as she danced toward the bathroom; Hector followed close behind, watching her every move like a hawk.  
  
"With a taste of your lips I'm on a ride. You're toxic, I'm slipping under. With a taste of poison paradise, I'm addicted to you. Don't you know that you're toxic? And I love what you do; don't you know that you're toxic?"  
  
Liberty turned and helped Hector out of his armor, dumping it unceremoniously on the marble floor. "This is one of the few times you will ever hear me singing Britney Spears songs, love, don't get used to it."  
  
Hector shed his underclothes as his young lover stepped nimbly into the tub. "I don't care what you sing, as long as you dance like that some more." He moved toward the tub as Liberty spread bubbles through the water.  
  
"Intoxicate me now... With your lovin' now... I think I'm ready now... I think I'm ready now... Intoxicate me now... With your lovin' now... I think I'm ready now," she sang in a sultry voice.  
  
Hector climbed into the bath and reached for the blonde nymph. "Come to me, lover."  
  
Liberty moved teasingly to the opposite side of the bath. "Why should I?" she asked, crossing her arms in front of her chest.  
  
Hector cornered her in the tub. "Let me make love to you," he said in a voice, husky with desire.  
  
Liberty smiled. "Let me wash you first." She grabbed the top of his head and pushed him down into the soapy water. He came back up, sputtering and wiping the water out of his eyes. She moved behind him on the step and reached for the bottle of shampoo, pouring a generous amount into her hands and rubbing it into the prince's scalp. The soap turned red from the dried blood caked into his dark locks. She wrinkled her nose and grabbed a sponge nearby, lathering it with soap.  
  
Carefully, Liberty massaged the grime off the Trojan prince. He was so relaxed he was almost asleep under her ministrations.  
  
Finally the two of them were clean. Hector reached for her again, but Liberty quickly scrambled out of the tub and wrapped a towel around her torso. Hector looked disappointed, but climbed out and went to her. She hopped out of his grasp.  
  
"Liberty?" Hector was getting frustrated. Why was she running away from him?  
  
"I... I... um," Liberty stammered, backing toward the door. Without another word, she dashed through the doorway and out of his sight.  
  
Hector dressed hurriedly and went after her. "Liberty, child, what is wrong?" He found her sitting on his bed, still clad only in the white towel, her blonde locks covering her face, but not hiding her distraught countenance. He sat next to her and reached out a hand to rub her back. Her body tensed and he drew back.  
  
Liberty finally turned to look at him, he blue eyes cloudy with fear and confusion. "I'm sorry, Hector. I... I just... when you touched me, I thought of Achilles."  
  
Hector's eyes went wide with shock. "Oh, my beautiful girl, I'm so sorry he did that to you." He pulled her to him and she buried her face in his chest.  
  
"I hate him for it," she muttered. "I would have killed him myself if I could. I feel like he's... destroyed my innocence somehow." She looked up at the prince with reddened eyes. "I know it's stupid, but-"  
  
"It's not stupid," Hector interrupted. "Achilles had no heart, and no soul." He paused, afraid to ask the next question. "So you have never... known a man?"  
  
Liberty shook her head. "No. It may sound stupid, since I'm definitely old enough to have had sex, but I just... never found someone I wanted to do it with." She smiled bashfully. "Or I did, but I was never sure if he wanted me." She looked up into Hector's eyes and he was suddenly filled with longing.  
  
He leaned into her and, without touching another part of her body, pressed his lips to hers. Liberty melted into him, and he wrapped his powerful arms around her.  
  
Charis' laughter echoed down the hallway as Paris toted his new wife around on his back. He trotted into the throne room to find Priam sitting at his throne studying some scrolls and a look of distain washing over his aged face seeing his youngest son and servant gallivanting around his palace. Charis was suddenly frightened by this new face on the king; she had never seen him this angry before. She slid off of Paris' back and hid behind him.  
  
"Fa-father..." Paris stammered as Priam waved his hand as his counselors departed from the throne room.  
  
"Mind explaining to me my son what you are doing with this servant girl?" Priam asked in a low voice as he cast a cold glare towards Charis.  
  
Charis shivered. She felt Priam's eyes pierce into her very soul as Paris tightly held her hands that were wrapped around his waist, "I'm enjoying myself...Father. What is wrong with that?"  
  
"But with a common servant? There are other women in the palace for you to amuse yourself with, my son. Now I want you to stop this nonsense at once. You know your place and she should know hers. Royalty and the poor do NOT mix and I will not allow it in my presence."  
  
Paris looked up towards his father, defiance gleaming in his eyes, "But she is no longer poor father. I love Charis and she loves me! She is MY PRINCESS. We wed seven days ago...in secret."  
  
Priam rose to his feet, "I will not allow this marriage to continue!" he shouted, his face growing red with anger.  
  
"I do not care what you think or say, Father! For the first time I know what true love is! No longer am I bedding with other women to find temporary ease and happiness! My heart is content and full of joy with Charis by my side!"  
  
"This is that entire witch's fault! She is poisoning my sons against me!"  
  
Charis stepped out from behind Paris, outraged with the words spilling from the king's mouth, "That is NOT true Lord Priam! Liberty is a kind and gentle woman! She nearly sacrificed her life to save the life of Hector! She's saving your kingdom from destruction by the Greeks! Your pride clouded your judgment so you did not heed her warnings and you almost sent Hector to his grave! IT WAS YOUR FAULT!"  
  
"SILENCE! I will not tolerate such insolence from you! GUARDS!" Priam roared with anger as two armed Trojan guards rushed into the room. "Take this little whelp out of my sight!"  
  
"Father no! You cannot do this she is my wife!!" Paris's protests fall on the deaf ears of the king as Charis is dragged out of the throne room by one of the guards and the other holding him back.  
  
"NO! LET ME GO! PARIS!" Charis' struggle is futile against the strength of the guard as the door slams behind them; her cries are faint as she is dragged to the dungeon.  
  
Paris squeezes his eyes shut as tears well up in his eyes, "Damn you father...she is the one thing that makes me happy and I will have her back even if it means me no longer being a son of Troy!" he then stormed out of the throne room, leaving Priam in a daze.  
  
The aged king slumped into his throne. "I will have that witch's head on a platter before this week is out." He motioned for one of his priests to enter from where he stood silently, just outside the hall. "Find this witch that is polluting the minds of my sons. Have her join the servant wench in the dungeon. Make sure neither of my sons is aware this fire starter has gone missing."  
  
The priest nodded obediently and went to carry out his orders.  
  
Priam dropped his face into his hands. "What has happened to my kingdom? Surely Hector would still be alive, whether or not that strange girl had come." He looked to his High Priest. "Tell me the gods want this plague of the princes gone from Troy."  
  
The Priest looked helpless. "What she proved by facing Achilles has many men on her side. They think she truly had foreseen the fall of Troy and has helped to change it."  
  
"The Greeks will retreat. I know it," Priam said softly. 


	8. Taken Away

"Hector! Hector, please help me!" Paris yelled, his feet thumping loudly on the hall floor as he ran to his brother's room. "Hector! Father's gone mad! He's taken Charis to the dungeon!"  
  
Hector's head popped out his door, and he caught his brother by the arms as he stumbled toward him, tears streaming down his unblemished face. "What is this? Why would Father send your wife to the dungeon?"  
  
Paris shook his head, trying to organize his thoughts. "I don't know. I think he was upset that she used to be a servant."  
  
Liberty's face appeared behind Hector. "Why would he do that? I thought King Priam was supposed to be a kind and understanding man."  
  
Paris nodded, panting for breath. "He did use to be. I'm afraid his pride has gotten in the way as of late. He thinks you're trying to give Troy to the Greeks. He refuses to believe that you actually saved Hector's life in facing Achilles yourself. He thinks you made an agreement with him to hand Troy to the Greeks on a silver platter."  
  
"Prince Hector, Prince Paris, I must speak with you," a general in the Trojan army approached, a serious look on his face. "We must attack the Greeks at dawn tomorrow and give them the final push to retreat, or kill all that remain."  
  
Hector nodded. "Yes, let's take this to the armory. Battle should never be discussed in this environment." He looked at Liberty, his face solemn. "Stay here, Liberty. I will discuss the matter with Charis with my father as soon as I'm finished planning the battle. She will be out of the dungeon before nightfall. If you try to do anything to free her, it would make matters worse. Please, just stay here."  
  
The three men left and Liberty retreated into the room, slumping onto the bed. "Stay here? How can I stay here when my friend is in jail and it's MY fault?" She yawned and closed her eyes, trying to form a plan to free Charis.  
  
Before she knew what was happening, her hands were bound, her mouth gagged, and a blindfold blocked her vision. She tried to scream, but the gag was too efficient. She was helpless as two men dragged her through an unfathomable passage to the dungeon.  
  
"Liberty!" Charis' voice echoed through the dungeon as she saw her friend dragged carelessly into an empty cell and dumped on the floor. The guards never bothered to remove her bonds, so Liberty was left helplessly slumped on the ground.  
  
"Oh, gods, Liberty!" Charis whimpered, reaching through the bars for her friend. "What's happening to us? Where's Paris? Where's Hector?"  
  
She stopped cold, hearing the High Priest's voice in the chamber. "The servant girl is to be let go tomorrow. The other is to be disposed of tonight. The Greeks have departed and left a gift to Poseidon on the shore. The battalion is bringing it to the city now. During the victory feast, take the blonde witch and dump her lifeless body into the Aegean. Prince Paris will be so happy to have his servant girl back, he won't question her disappearance. Also, Hector has just won a great victory, and his wife has returned. He won't notice her being gone either. If anyone questions her disappearance, no one is to reveal a thing. It must remain a mystery."  
  
Liberty's body stiffened and Charis knew exactly what that meant. "The Horse... they're bringing the Horse to the city." She looked at her friend, helpless on the floor. "Why didn't Paris or Hector order it burned?"  
  
"What the hell are you doing here?" Hector growled at Andromache. "You left me and my son and ran off with a man you've been sleeping with for three years, right under my nose. You whore. I do not want to see you. Neither does my son."  
  
Andromache grabbed his arm and he looked at her hand like it was an insect. "Please, Hector. That was the biggest mistake of my life. I love you. Please..." her eyes filled up with tears as she pleaded with the prince.  
  
He narrowed his eyes at her. "You've broken my heart. Fortunately, I've found someone else to repair it."  
  
"That blonde girl? Liberty?" Andromache stared at him. "You cannot be serious. It was she who poisoned my mind in the first place. You believe that she really is from the future, right? If you believe that, you must believe she will have to go back eventually too. Zeus will never let her stay here."  
  
Hector's heard thudded loudly in his chest. "She would not leave me."  
  
"She would not have a choice," Hector's wife said in a low tone. "I am still your wife, Hector. Please. Give me a second chance. I will prove to you that I love you more than anything." She looked in the direction of the dungeon, fully aware of what was going on inside. "In fact, I believe that girl has plans to leave Troy tonight and go to Greece. She has told them our weaknesses."  
  
Hector refused to look at his wife, instead focusing on the heavy doors to the city as they opened, revealing a giant wooden horse. He gasped in surprise and ran to the captain of the guards. "What is this? Who ordered that thing brought here? I ordered it burned!"  
  
Paris trudged up alongside his brother, looking worn and miserable. "Father ordered it brought to the temple of Poseidon. I could not stop him."  
  
Hector wrapped an arm protectively around his younger sibling's shoulders. "Tell me, Paris. Do you believe that Liberty is trying to save us, or trying to ensure the fall of Troy?"  
  
Paris looked up at his noble brother, his red eyes gleaming with fresh tears. "I believe that this 'gift' will be our downfall if we let it," he said softly, gesturing to the giant structure as it rolled slowly past. "I have seen Andromache. Are you still in love with her?"  
  
Hector rubbed his face warily. "I don't know. She is the mother of my son. She has only ever failed my trust the moment she left me."  
  
Paris scoffed. "She failed your trust every night she betrayed you by bedding with that guard."  
  
"I don't know what to do, Paris. Liberty is such a strange girl. She draws me to her with every flash of her eye or movement of her body. A wise man would know that something that is so magnetic is also only trouble."  
  
"She risked her life for you!" Paris yelped, stunned. "She has told you everything before it happened."  
  
Hector's eyes darkened. "She could also know this if she is in league with the Greeks."  
  
"How could she predict that you would unknowingly kill Achilles' cousin if she was in league with the Greeks?" Paris clutched his brother's hand tightly. "Please, Hector. You have to help me save Charis, and I think Liberty is the only one who can help. In fact, if we don't destroy that horse, all of Troy will fall."  
  
"How are you, my sons?" King Priam greeted, meeting the two princes by the wall. "What a victory present this is for us!" He spread his arms, encompassing all of the Horse as it was placed in front of the temple of Poseidon.  
  
"I still say you need to burn it," Paris hissed, glaring at the elderly king.  
  
"Now, my son, when will your heart forgive me for showing you that a prince does NOT marry a servant girl?" Priam grabbed Paris' face in his hands and kissed the young man's forehead. "Do not be troubled, my sons. This is a great day for Troy. This is the day that we showed Agamemnon that we will not fall if his entire empire came for battle."  
  
The king looked at his eldest son. "I see that your wife has returned, apologetic as ever. Forgive her, for the sake of your son and our country."  
  
Hector said nothing, but quickly turned and walked away. It had been a long day and his mind was not slowing down.  
  
The sun was beginning to set and it seemed as if all of Troy had come out for the victory celebration. Everyone danced and sang around the giant horse. Paris grew even more upset with every passing hour. He had hoped that Hector would have retrieved Charis from the dungeons.  
  
He looked around. Liberty had not made an appearance all day. Perhaps she had seen Hector reunite with his wife and had run away, or was hiding somewhere, heartbroken.  
  
He went to go find her when he heard a frantic voice behind him. "Paris!"  
  
He turned to see Charis running toward him at top speed. She leapt into his arms and planted small kisses all over his face. Paris was overjoyed to be reunited with his love. "Oh, Charis! My Princess! You're free! Did Hector talk them into letting you out?"  
  
Charis opened her mouth to answer, but the King interrupted. "I have decided, my boy, that if you love her, then she truly is more than just a servant girl. You have seen the nobility inside her and you should be with her." He smiled at the couple and moved off to find Hector and Andromache.  
  
"Paris!" Charis panted, clutching her husband's shoulders. "It's a trick. Your father set me free to distract you. He doesn't know that I know this, but I overheard the High Priest telling the dungeon guard to set me free and take Liberty out to the cliffs and kill her!"  
  
Paris' heart stopped. "What?"  
  
Charis nodded. "Yes, he found Andromache and brought her back, hoping that Hector would forget Liberty in his love for his family. He thinks Liberty is a witch and ordered her death during the victory celebration tonight. Paris, we've got to do something!"  
  
Paris was torn. "What do I do, Charis? Hector is so ambivalent about his wife's return. He can't choose between her and Liberty. If I go to save Liberty, then who will rally the army and try to convince them that the Horse must be destroyed? If I stay here to protect the city, then the person who has saved us all will be killed!" He looked into his wife's frightened eyes. "I can't let you take on one of these tasks. You could not fight the guards to save Liberty and I doubt the army would believe you any more than they would believe me. They are so drunk with victory right now that they can't think of anything but women and wine."  
  
Tears rolled silently down the Princess' pale cheeks. "What do we do?"  
  
Paris clutched her small body to his own. "I don't know." He looked toward the top of the wall. "I need to go talk to Hector. "He grabbed Charis' hand and pulled her up the steps with him.  
  
"Hector. My brother, we must talk." He approached Hector and Andromache cautiously.  
  
Hector turned and looked at the young prince through narrow eyes. "What is it that cannot wait, Paris?"  
  
Paris swallowed the lump in his throat and chose his words carefully. "Brother, I... Liberty. She's... They've taken her. Charis heard the High Priest talking of killing her tonight. Right now. You must go-"  
  
"You must do nothing," Andromache interrupted, taking her husband's hand. "How do we know this elevated servant girl is not lying? Poisoning you both as the witch has done?"  
  
"Don't call her that," Hector ordered.  
  
"I'll call her for what she is," Andromache continued stubbornly. "She's polluted you. Both of these silly girls have." She glared at Charis. "They both should be killed."  
  
Paris stepped in between his wife and Andromache. "You will watch your tongue."  
  
Hector grabbed his brother roughly by the front of his clothes. "Don't speak to..." He dropped off, looking into the frightened eyes of his brother, then the defiant eyes of his cheating wife. He sighed, releasing Paris' robes. "Where are they taking Liberty?"  
  
Charis began to explain that she would be murdered and then dropped off the cliffs to the west of the city, but Andromache stepped forward and slapped the girl hard across the face. "You whore! Stay out of this!" she spat.  
  
Hector pushed her against the wall. "Do not touch her. We are over, you and I. You will NEVER set foot in the walls of Troy again. Be gone by the time I get back." He looked at Paris. "Watch her, and watch the wooden Horse. I will be back." He ran off down the corridor, leaving the young couple alone with Andromache and her rage.  
  
Shouts echoed up from the dying celebration below. Paris looked toward the two women. "I... I'll be back." He went in the opposite direction as Hector had gone, toward the giant Horse.  
  
Andromache sneered at the Princess. "So, you've managed to marry a Prince of Troy. How does it feel? If I can judge by his brother at all, Paris must keep you satisfied in bed. He did manage to seduce the Queen of Sparta after all."  
  
"That is none of your business," Charis warned. "Leave this family alone. You've lost. You've lost your husband and your throne. Leave now while you still have your life."  
  
"Is that a threat?" Andromache asked, plucking a torch from its holster in the wall.  
  
"It's a promise," Charis answered evenly.  
  
Andromache flew at the Princess, waving the torch wildly in front of her. They were both in a long corridor high above the celebration in the square below. Charis ducked and ran behind Andromache, trying to find something to use as a weapon.  
  
Finding nothing, she ran further, until she was just above the Horse, and looked down for Paris.  
  
Finding him nowhere in sight, Charis turned just as Andromache swiped at the air where her face had been with the torch. Charis swiped at her and three scratch marks appeared on Andromache's face, bleeding slightly.  
  
"Bitch!" she hissed. "You will pay for that!" She moved to hit Charis with the torch, but Charis grabbed her arms and held her back. "Hector is mine. This Liberty will die, and you will soon follow," she rasped.  
  
"You first," Charis said slowly, pushing Andromache with her foot.  
  
The fallen royal stumbled blindly back, swinging the torch behind her. Before she could catch her footing, she plummeted out the window, falling headfirst into a fountain four stories below. The torch bounced off the stone wall and landed on top of the "gift" left behind by the Greeks, immediately setting the dry wood ablaze.  
  
Paris appeared on the ground below just as ropes flew out the side and Greek soldiers started skittering wildly down the sides of the Horse. He cast a helpless look up at his wife.  
  
"Shoot them as they come out!" she yelled down to him, and he immediately picked up the nearest bow, sending arrow after arrow into the falling Greeks. Dazed members of the army appeared soon after, helping Paris defeat the Greeks before they could reach the gates to let in the soldiers outside.  
  
"Captain!" Priam called, hurrying through the square. "There are more troops outside the gates! Many more!"  
  
The Captain of the guard ordered all men to the armory. "Paris," he said solemnly, placing a hand on the young prince's shoulder. "Thank you. We might have been lost without you." He looked up at the burning Horse. "Stay here and finish off any more Greeks that may try to escape."  
  
Charis rushed into her husband's arms. "Paris! We're saved! The army is already fighting back the troops on the other side of the gate! We've won!" She looked behind them into the fountain. Its normally crystal clear water was stained red and the body of Andromache floated in the middle, facedown. "Oh!" She pinched her eyes shut and buried her face in Paris' chest. "She tried to kill me with the torch. I could do nothing. She tripped and fell out the window. I hope Hector will not blame me."  
  
Paris brushed the ash out of her hair. "That torch saved Troy, Charis, my Princess. Hector cannot blame you for that." A burning body fell out of the Horse and he put an arrow through its chest, just to be safe.  
  
"I wonder how Hector is faring with Liberty," Charis wondered. "I hope they are both well."  
  
Paris shrugged helplessly. "I don't know, but I realize I must be out with the army. One of the princes must lead the men into battle and since Hector is not here..." He placed a gentle kiss on his wife's lips and ran to the gate. 


	9. A Love Confirmed

Liberty twisted helplessly, trying to break free from the guards' grasp.  
  
"Should we untie her before we kill her?" the younger of the two asked his comrade.  
  
The man studied the girl before shaking his head. "No, she needs to remain bound. Especially her mouth. If we took the gag off, she would put a spell on us for certain."  
  
The younger guard looked into her terrified eyes. "Do you really believe she's a witch?"  
  
The older guard frowned at his partner. "I can't take that chance."  
  
Liberty slumped helplessly to the ground when the pushed her to the ground, near the edge of the cliff. Her wrist cracked loudly. The guards jumped, startled by the sound.  
  
"What was that?" The younger guard looked at Liberty who tried to look innocent.  
  
She carefully slipped her dislocated wrist out of her bonds, hissing painfully into the gag. They moved toward her, the elder guard brandishing a large knife.  
  
"We will try to make your passing as painless as possible, Lady," the younger guard said sadly, grabbing her by the hair and exposing her throat.  
  
Liberty quickly stepped behind him, wrapping her bad arm around his neck and grabbing his sword with her good hand. Both guards were too stunned to move. She kicked the legs out from under her captive and pushed him away from her with her foot.  
  
"How did you...?" the older guard started. Liberty just shook her head at him and ran away, unable to unbind her mouth and hold the sword at the same time.  
  
After a few hundred feet, Liberty looked back to make sure they weren't chasing her. She then collided with something and fell to the ground, yelping in pain as her dislocated wrist made contact with the hard earth. The sword dropped from her hand and skittered across the packed dirt.  
  
"Liberty!"  
  
She looked up into the startled eyes of Hector.  
  
He knelt down and untied the gag that bound her mouth. "Hector! What are you doing out here?" Her eyes began to well up with unshed tears.  
  
"I... I came to save you," he said with a chuckle. "But I see you've managed all by yourself, as usual."  
  
She nodded. "Yeah... I was going to go find my truck and wait for Apollo to show up." She pulled the ropes off her arm and rubbed her wrist. "I think I dislocated it."  
  
Hector lifted her arm gently and looked at her wrist. "It would seem so." His eyes moved to her face. "Why would you leave?"  
  
Liberty sighed. "I seem to only be causing you guys trouble." Her heart dropped. "Oh God, the Horse!" She looked toward the city, panicked. "What happened? Did you burn it?"  
  
Hector scooped her into her arms, ignoring her protests. "I told Paris to burn it if so much as a sliver of wood twitched. Come with me, Desert Rose, I will have your wounds tended to." He headed back toward the city at a quick pace. "And so you know, Liberty, you saved my life. I would never want you to leave. Never. I..." He paused.  
  
Liberty furrowed her eyebrows at him. "You...?"  
  
He looked into her eyes, his own clouded with emotion. "I love you. I want you to stay with me forever. I want you to marry me and be by my side for eternity."  
  
Liberty gulped down the breath that caught in her throat. "But... Andromache."  
  
Hector scoffed. "She is not my wife. In fact, I ordered her banished from the city, if Paris doesn't kill her first. She will never be near my family, and my son, ever again."  
  
"And your father? He was the one that ordered them to kill me. He hates me." Liberty choked back a sob.  
  
"Now even he cannot deny that you have saved Troy," Hector said seriously. "And you have saved me... and probably Paris too."  
  
He opened a secret side door through the wall and into the city. Everything reeked of smoke and people rushed back and forth, some looking excited and some terrified.  
  
"You there!" Hector called.  
  
A peasant stopped dead in his tracks. "Yes, sire?" He turned to the prince and bowed.  
  
"What is happening?" Hector asked, looking around.  
  
"The army is forcing the Greeks off of Troy and Paris saved the city by burning that horse," the peasant explained, confused. "Apparently there were Greek soldiers hidden inside the horse and they were to let the full army inside the city while we slept. Paris killed them all with his bow as they escaped the burning figure." He beamed. "Now, the young prince is leading the charge against the army outside the walls. He's driving them to their ships and out to sea."  
  
Hector's jaw dropped. Liberty grinned smugly.  
  
"My brother Paris is leading the army?"  
  
The peasant nodded and continued toward his destination.  
  
The Crown Prince laughed, setting Liberty on her feet and taking her undamaged hand. "You see what you have turned my brother into? He is a warrior now. You cannot say that you want to leave any longer. Not since you have made all of us so much better for knowing you." He walked around the ashen ruins of the Trojan Horse.  
  
"Such an amazing deception," he mused, kicking at some smoldering cinders. "And they may have gotten away with it if you hadn't warned us." He moved over to the blood-filled fountain, staring at the familiar figure inside.  
  
"Prince Hector!" Charis appeared from behind a column and launched herself into the prince's arms. "You're back! You've brought Liberty! Thank the gods!"  
  
She followed Hector's gaze to the fountain. "I am so sorry, Prince. Please forgive me. She... she came at me with a torch and I pushed her in self- defense. I did not intend-"  
  
He cut her off. "What's done is done. No use apologizing." His jaw tightened. "She stopped being my wife the day she betrayed me." He turned and rubbed his hands along Liberty's upper arms.  
  
"Is Paris returned?" Liberty asked, looking worried.  
  
Charis smiled. "The Greeks have been defeated. Paris and the army are returning to the city now."  
  
Hector's body visibly relaxed. "Thank the Gods. Tell Paris and Father that I am tending to Liberty's wounds. No one is to disturb us." He looked stern.  
  
Charis nodded as the couple walked away, and then smiled widely.  
  
"Hector, I am sorry for what trouble I may have cau-OH!-sed." Liberty gasped as Hector slid her dislocated joint painfully back into place.  
  
"You've caused no trouble," he said softly, looking at her. "Stop apologizing." He led her over to his large bed. It was covered in lush fabrics of all sorts. "Does anything else hurt?" Concern burned in his dark eyes.  
  
She sat down obediently. "No, not really."  
  
"They didn't... hurt you?" Hector lifted her arms and checked her for further wounds.  
  
Liberty giggled as his rough hands tickled her flesh. "I'm fine. A little bumped and bruised, but fine nonetheless." She caressed his face with her good hand. "To think you seem like such a hardened warrior in public view, but get you alone and you're a big pussycat." She tapped his nose lightly and they both laughed.  
  
"So," he started, his cheeks turning slightly red beneath the deep tan. "Did you think any more about what I proposed?"  
  
Liberty decided to bait him, looking unaware. "What, exactly did you propose, dear Prince?"  
  
He moved in front of her and dropped to one knee, running his thumbs gently over the sensitive skin on the back of her hand. "I am asking you to stay here in Troy, with me. A-and perhaps, maybe in the future, um, become my wife?" He rubbed the back of his head nervously.  
  
Liberty's face lit up. "I would love nothing more than to stay here in Troy with you, and perhaps, maybe in the future, um, become your wife," she teased.  
  
Hector laughed, pushing her knees aside and kneeling in front of where she sat on the bed, bringing her face down for a passionate kiss. "I love you, Liberty."  
  
Liberty slid off the bed in front of him, wrapping her arms around his neck. "I love you too, now and in the future."  
  
Hector brushed Liberty's blonde hair off her shoulder and placed gentle kisses along her jaw line, moving down to her neck. Her breath came in short gasps as he pushed the thin white fabric of her dress off one of her shoulders. His touch felt like liquid fire, flooding her body.  
  
"Hector," she breathed, reaching up with her free hand and entangling her fingers in his dark mane. A bolt of electricity shot down his spine at her touch and he moaned softly into her skin, allowing her reaction to encourage his actions.  
  
"I'll be gentle, I promise," he whispered, nipping lightly at her earlobe.  
  
Liberty whimpered in response. "I trust you." Her fingers left Hector's hair and reached the shiny golden brooch at his shoulder. She quickly undid the clasp and his cloak slid to the floor. Her hands slid over his powerful arms, barely making contact.  
  
His blood boiled at the sensation and he was afraid his need would consume him. He quickly captured her lips in a searing kiss, using his legs as leverage to push them both up onto the bed. Liberty fell back into the soft covers, whimpering at the sudden loss of contact.  
  
Hector's eyes burned into hers as he quickly shed the armor that had covered his torso. She sat up and traced the scars across his chest with her fingers. His head fell back involuntarily as her lips found his hot skin. Her lips and tongue traced a path up his throat and she kissed his chin quickly before finding his mouth. She attacked it, savoring every taste as their tongues battled.  
  
Hector slid his arm up behind her and pushed her back into the plush mattress, straddling her. He intertwined her fingers with his and moved her arms above her head, careful not to hurt her damaged wrist. He captured both her small hands in one of his, and unclasped the pins holding her dress together with the other, savoring the touch of her sensitive skin.  
  
He looked into her azure eyes, waiting for permission to go further. She smiled, her lips reddened and slightly swollen from the intensity of their kisses.  
  
Slowly, Hector uncovered the beauty before him, his eyes memorizing every curve as it was revealed. He threw the dress to the ground. The rest of his clothing followed shortly after. They were both now completely naked, save the prince's gauntlets.  
  
Liberty suddenly rolled them both over so she was now sitting astride him. His eyes widened at the action, but his body welcomed whatever she would do. Her body glistened with sweat and he was mesmerized. She looked like a goddess to him, with her flawless beauty and fierce nature. Surely he was blessed.  
  
He slid his worn hands up her tanned thighs and gripped her hips. "Are you sure you want to do this?" he asked softly.  
  
Liberty nodded, pinched her eyes shut, and pushed herself down on top of him until he was filling her completely. She bit her lip, muffling the cries of slight pain as her innocence was broken. Color exploded behind her eyelids and she whimpered. Hector's fingers on her chin, and his soft words of comfort relaxed her. She opened her eyes and smiled down at him.  
  
"Are you all right?" His eyes were glazed with worry.  
  
Liberty's smile grew bigger and she leaned down and kissed him lightly on the lips, rocking her hips over his pelvis, causing him to moan with pleasure. His arms snaked out to the sides and he gripped the bed, his hips meeting hers with every thrust.  
  
A low sound emanated from Liberty's throat and Hector could almost swear she was purring. She grabbed his left gauntlet and pulled him up into a sitting position, snaking her arms around behind him as they made love.  
  
Hector panted as he reached his peak and could decipher from her labored breathing that his love was also near climax. He pressed her closer to him, reveling in the sensation of her bare skin against his. She gasped for air and her body shuddered with her orgasm and he followed suit, burying his face in her breasts and growling out her name as he filled her with his essence.  
  
Liberty panted heavily and brushed his hair out of his face, smiling at him as they both came down. "I love you, Hector." 


	10. Stay or Go?

Night gave way to day as a new morning dawned in Troy and the long clean up began. Hector yawned and stretched out as his new found love still slept curled up at his side. He was relieved to still have her, no thanks to his father. Hector's brow furrowed as a frown spread across his face. He decided that he needed to have a little 'talk' with the king. Hector carefully slipped out of Liberty's embrace, dressed and quietly exited the room. As he closed the door behind him, he saw his brother coming towards him.  
  
"Going to have a chat with Father too?"  
  
Hector nodded, "I can assume you're going for the same reason I am."  
  
Paris nodded, "Indeed. What father did was inexcusable – regardless of everything that has been going on around the kingdom. If it wasn't for Liberty we'd all be dead by now and Troy just nothing but ash and a place of death."  
  
"Not to defend his actions brother, but he did what he thought was right," Hector said leaning against the wall with his arms folded across his chest. He sighed, pulling the robe he was wearing closed. "Yet he was wrong about Liberty, Charis, and everything."  
  
Paris went over and put a hand on his brother's shoulder. "It's alright my brother, they are safe and so is Troy."  
  
Hector nodded, "And so is my son – as well as you. As long as the four of you were unharmed then I am happy. Troy can be rebuilt, but there is no way to replace the hole that would be left in my heart if something happened to you all."  
  
Paris blinked in shock at his brother's sudden sentiment. Never before had he seen his brother this kind and so emotional. He knew how much everything meant to him, but this was the first time that he had ever seen Hector so passionate and adamant about something so much that he was on the verge of tears. Paris stood there helpless, not really knowing what to do to comfort his brother.  
  
"Hector..." Paris spoke meekly as he looked up into his brother's face.  
  
A smile spread across Hector's face. "My brother." He then embraced Paris. "Come now...we must go and talk with Father." Paris nodded as Hector released him and the two walked down the hallway towards the throne room.  
  
Priam was sitting hunched over in his throne, his age wearing heavily on his formerly proud and handsome features. One hand clutched tightly at his robes, the other holding his weary head.  
  
"I know what you have come to say, my sons," he drawled, not looking up.  
  
Paris moved over and kneeled before the king. "Father, do you now realize that Liberty has saved Troy?"  
  
Priam lifted his head slightly to look at his youngest son in front of him. "I have realized that now. This proud king has fallen. I realize now that Charis was meant to be your wife, Paris. She is a good girl and beautiful woman. I am glad you were not as blind as I." He tilted his head and looked sideways at Hector, his normally bright eyes darkened with sorrow and grief. "Hector, my son, what I have done to you is unforgivable, I know, but I am sorry just the same."  
  
Hector stepped forward and clutched his father's free hand. "Father, I forgive you. Do not worry. All is safe now."  
  
Priam looked at his children mournfully. "I nearly destroyed Troy with my pride. I realize now that I must step down. I can no longer make a fair king. Death is upon me, I feel it. I want you, Hector, to take the throne of Troy."  
  
The princes stared at their father in bewilderment.  
  
"Do not argue with me," Priam continued, lifting his hand to silence them. "I know when my time is passed. Hector will make a good and honest king. If I suspect correctly, Liberty will also make a good and fair queen."  
  
Charis softly knocked on the chamber door to Hector's room, hoping that Liberty was awake so she could check to see how her new found friend was doing.  
  
A sleepy voice greeted her. "Come in."  
  
Charis chuckled as she poked her head into the room. "I didn't wake you did I?"  
  
Liberty shook her head as she sat up wrapped in a bed sheet. "Oh, no no. Come on in."  
  
Charis did just that and ran to her friend and embraced her tightly. "I'm glad that you're alright."  
  
Liberty just hugged her friend. After a few moments, Charis allowed Liberty to break free of the embrace and to dress.  
  
"Have you seen Paris?"  
  
Liberty shook her head once she emerged from behind the changing screen. "Probably with Hector talking to Priam about how wrong he was about us."  
  
"You think we should go and see?"  
  
Liberty nodded, "And if Priam doesn't like it, too bad!"  
  
Charis laughed as she exited the room with Liberty close behind. They could hear the voices of the King and his two sons traveling down the hallway from the throne room as they made their way to it. Both the women poked their heads in, fearful of interrupting anything important or hearing things that they were not supposed to hear. They saw Hector seated on his throne at the side of the King with Paris looking around unsure what to do or say when he saw Charis and Liberty out of the corner of his eye. He smiled and went over to them both.  
  
"Spying?" He laughed in amusement.  
  
Both of them blushed as Hector got up and walked over to Liberty giving her a large hug. Paris took Charis' hand and brought them out of hiding before the King. Despite everything that had happened between Priam, Charis, and Liberty hours before, the women showed respect to the elder king and curtsied politely to him.  
  
Priam shook his head and climbed slowly out of his seat, shuffling over to the girls and embracing them both at the same time. "Words cannot express the regret I feel about what I've done. I hope you two will be able to find it in your hearts to forgive me."  
  
He released them and Liberty took his hand, holding it in both of hers. "Nah, it's okay, mate. I totally get..." she paused before starting again. "I mean, all is forgiven, sire. I understand that you were a little hesitant to trust a strange girl from a different place and time and that you were just trying to protect your kingdom and your family."  
  
She looked over at Hector, her eyes sparkling. "I just want you to know, King Priam, that I love your son more than life itself, and I would protect him, and Troy, with my life."  
  
Priam nodded and released her hand. "And you have, child. I am grateful for it. Forgive this old fool for doubting you." 


	11. No Other Choice

"I know it's around here somewhere," Liberty said, looking over the terrain from atop the horse Priam had given her. Her eyes caught something glinting in the distance and she urged the animal toward it. "Oh! There it is!" She galloped off at top speed.  
  
Hector chased after her and the two quickly turned the adventure into a race.  
  
"Eat my dust, Prince!" Liberty shouted, digging her heels into the horse's sides.  
  
Hector laughed and decided to let her win, but not by much.  
  
The black truck was covered in a layer of dirt and grime, but otherwise looked undamaged. Liberty slid off her mount and ran up to it, hopping up and over the door and inside. "I know it doesn't have any gas, but maybe the radio still works," she said, turning the key to the on position. A loud beep confirmed her hope and she smiled up at Hector, who was inspecting the vehicle thoroughly.  
  
The radio buzzed to life. "... I can tell you're going through the motions, I figured you were acting out your part. Once again, we're playing off emotion. Which one of us will burn until the end?"  
  
Liberty grinned and sang along. "Catalyst, you insist to pull me down. You contradict the fact that you still want me around. And it's all downhill from here... and it's all downhill from here."  
  
She sighed and dusted off the dashboard of her beloved truck.  
  
"What exactly is this thing?" Hector asked, startling himself when he pulled on the door handle and clicked open.  
  
Liberty patted the passenger seat and he obediently sat down. "It's my truck... or at least it was. It runs on fuel, turning the wheels and making it move." She cast a sideways look at him. "Really fast."  
  
"How fast?" He opened the glove compartment and rummaged through the papers inside.  
  
Liberty grinned. "Faster than the fastest horse."  
  
"I'd like to see that. If only you weren't out of fuel." Hector reached to play with the radio dials, but his eyes caught something. He scrambled out of the truck and fell to one knee, bowing low.  
  
Liberty looked at him quizzically before turning her head to see Apollo standing there, smiling.  
  
"Not you again," she grumbled, receiving a startled look from the prince.  
  
"Hello, Miss Liberty," he said, practically oozing with ego. He nodded toward Hector. "Greetings, Prince Hector of Troy."  
  
Hector's head bowed low again. "Apollo."  
  
Liberty glared at the god. "What do you want this time? Me to save King Richard at the Crusades?"  
  
Apollo leaned against the side of the vehicle and folded his arms across his chest. "Well, dearest descendant of Zeus, your task is complete. You've saved Troy. You will be going home now."  
  
Hector gasped and Liberty swallowed hard. "Home? To the United States, home? To the year 2004, home?"  
  
Apollo nodded, raking a hand through his hair. "Yes, child."  
  
Hector ignored his inclination to remain silent and addressed the god of the Sun. "Please, Lord Apollo. Do not take her from me." He rose to his feet and walked around the car, standing in front of Apollo, next to the driver's side door. "She means everything to me. Do not send her away."  
  
Apollo looked bored. "It is not my decision, Prince. Zeus is the one who is sending her back to her time."  
  
"How can we prevent this?" Liberty pleaded. "I want to stay here!"  
  
Apollo shrugged. "Don't ask me." He then vanished from sight.  
  
Liberty leapt out of her truck and threw herself into Hector's arms. "I don't want to go! I want to stay with you!" she sobbed into his chest.  
  
Charis sighed heavily as her leather sandals clicked against the polished marble floor of the great hall of the palace. It had been a day since Apollo came to Liberty and Hector, and there was a sad air through out the entire city. Hector and Liberty did not go to supper yesterday and today. Charis couldn't blame them. Paris didn't accompany her to supper tonight and hardly ate anything yesterday.  
  
"What are we to do?" She thought out loud, as she stopped in the middle of the hallway. "We cannot defy a god...let alone Zeus himself..." She sighed as she balanced the tray of food in one hand, pulling close the robe of Paris' that she had borrowed with her free hand, trying to get some kind of warmth and comfort from it before continuing on her way back to her chambers.  
  
As she walked past the door to Hector and Liberty's chamber she heard soft sobbing and Charis blinked away her own tears. She hated feeling this helpless and unable to ease the pain of her friend and brother-in-law. She carefully opened the door to her room and saw her husband as he stood next to the window looking out into space.  
  
"Darling, I've brought some food...please at least eat a little bit..." She said in a gentle tone and Paris just nodded. "I'm going to go to the temple of Apollo and pray, perhaps that might do some good." Paris just nodded again and Charis went on her way.  
  
"Curse you sand. Curse you sandals." Charis muttered under her breath as she stood on the steps of the shrine to Apollo. She shook the sand out of her sandals. After she was finished, Charis slipped her sandals back on her feet and made her way into the shrine. She stood in awe of how quickly they had rebuilt the shrine after the invasion by the Greeks. She headed inside to the altar, lit some incense placed it before a small statue of the god and dropped to her knees and began to pray.  
  
"Please Apollo...I beg thee, not to take Liberty from us."  
  
Liberty was slumped across the bed, her delicate fingers tracing lazy circles in the mattress. Hector paced the room in front of her, mumbling to himself and twisting his dark hair around his index finger. He stopped suddenly and she looked over at him, a hopeful look on her pale face.  
  
Hector stared at her for a long moment before resuming his pacing, and she dropped her face into the bed.  
  
"Maybe," she said softly, turning her head to the side. "Maybe it's good I go back."  
  
Hector's head snapped in the direction of his love. "How can you say that? You mean so much to me... to Troy."  
  
Liberty rolled onto her back and extended her hand, beckoning him to her. The prince moved to her side and sat on the bed near her, taking her hand and bringing it to his lips for a quick kiss.  
  
"Well, this isn't my time. I also kind of miss my parents... and my dog." Liberty crawled to the side of the bed and slid her bag out from under it. She unsnapped it and pulled out her wallet, flipping it open. Hector looked inside at the pictures. "This is him. His name is Kody." She pulled out a picture of a Golden Retriever puppy and handed it to him. "I really miss him."  
  
"And your friends too, right?" Hector smiled at the picture and handed it back to her.  
  
Liberty bit her lip. "Some of them, yes, but I barely talked to any of them anymore. The ones I really cared about didn't live near me. I made them at college, across the country, and when I moved back home we lost contact. I miss my parents and my doggie most of all. I wish I could go back long enough to say goodbye and tell them not to worry, but I'd rather stay with you." She brought Hector's hand to her face and nuzzled it lovingly. "You, Paris, Charis, and Astyanax are the people I care about most." Both she and the prince looked into the cradle at the foot of the bed at Hector's sleeping son.  
  
Hector slid to his feet and retrieved the infant, cradling him against his chest. The boy blinked up at his father with bright eyes, yawned, and gurgled happily.  
  
Hector smiled and placed him in Liberty's waiting arms. She kissed his forehead and pressed her cheek to his head. "I barely know you, baby, but I love you anyway." She looked up at Hector and smiled sadly. "He alone makes the prospect of never going back to the future worth it. I want to see him grow tall. I want to see all the Trojan women throwing themselves at him." She blinked back tears. "You know, in the history I knew, the Greeks threw him off the wall after capturing the city."  
  
Hector's heart almost stopped. He scooped his son back into his arms and cuddled him protectively. The boy, sensing his father's apprehension, whimpered softly.  
  
Liberty looked out the window at the darkening clouds. "We can't really do anything about it anyway, can we?" She bit her lip as a servant came in to retrieve Hector's son for his bath and meal. "I mean, I could be gone in a flash whenever Zeus wanted, couldn't I? We have no choice in the matter. When the gods want me gone, I'm gone." She sighed heavily. "It's not an encouraging thought, I know, but it's the awful truth."  
  
She leaned over and dug into her bag again, retrieving a metal bracelet from a side pocket. She slid off the bed and went to Hector, placing it in his hand. "Look, this link has a heart on it, and this one says love. If they take me, remember me by this bracelet. Remember that I love you more than the earth, the heavens, and everything in between."  
  
Hector studied the bracelet as he slid it over his wrist, it was a little tight, but he didn't seem to care. He snaked his arms around her waist and pulled her to him, kissing the top of her head. "Well, I will not give you up without a fight. If Zeus wants to take you away from me, he better prepare for my wrath. I'll take on all of Olympus if I have to."  
  
Liberty smiled and tapped his nose lightly with her finger. "That's worse than facing Achilles."  
  
Hector smiled back. "And I beat Achilles... thanks to you." 


	12. Fate Decides

Apollo slid out from behind his statue, a cool demeanor washing over him.  
  
"I don't normally appear to servant girls, but you seem to have elevated yourself, haven't you?" he said, matter-of-factly.  
  
Charis bowed low, not meeting the god's eyes. "Apollo, please, I have come to beg you not to take Liberty from us. She has meant the world to Hector, Paris, and myself. Even king Priam seems to have taken a liking to her. Troy needs her. Won't you let her stay?"  
  
Apollo bent down and lifted the young girl's face until her eyes met his. "That is not my decision, child. It's Zeus' will that she go back to her own time so she may not do any damage to time itself."  
  
"She's already changed the entire Trojan history!" Charis pleaded, almost forgetting herself. "Forgive me, Apollo, great god of the Sun, but I don't see how she could do any more harm than good. Without her, I fear Hector may never recover." She swallowed hard. "With her by his side, I think Hector will be the greatest king the world has ever known... but without her..." She trailed off.  
  
"It is likely that Liberty knows more about the world's kings than you, dear Charis." Apollo studied the inside of his temple, looking bored. "Wouldn't you like it if Hector took his own life? Paris would be king and you would be his queen."  
  
Charis reeled back in horror. "I would never dream of that!" Her eyes fell upon the base of the statue and never strayed. "Hector would make a far better king than Paris. I love Paris more than life, but he is not the kind of man who should be king. He's too... impulsive." She chuckled. "He would build a gold statue of Liberty and completely forget any other kingly duties."  
  
"A statue of Liberty?" Apollo laughed. "What a ridiculous thought! I can see it now, with a crown on her head, holding high the torch that burned the Trojan Horse."  
  
Charis sighed as she looked up at Apollo, the amusement of what was just said quickly faded as she rose to her feet, "I am going to take my leave and go back to the palace." Charis curtsied to the sun god.  
  
He nodded as he watched her leave, "Hurry and get your goodbyes in, dear Charis."  
  
Charis ran back towards the palace as fast as her legs would carry her. Her sandals filled with sand, every step she took only slowed her. She finally stopped and cast her sandals off before continuing. As he ran she saw the dark, large storm clouds that had rolled in and hovered over the proud Trojan city. Small flashes of lightning flickered in the sky.  
  
"He is here." Charis muttered under her breath as she arrived at the gates of Troy and they were opened for her. Once the gates were opened enough for her to pass through, Charis continued her sprint through the city. She arrived in the vast courtyard at the foot of the stairs to the palace. Charis stopped to catch her breath on the steps as thunder clapped behind her. A pillar of lightning descended from the heavens and charred the dry baked earth on the opposite end of the courtyard. As the white light faded, there stood Apollo, next to the king of the gods, Zeus himself.  
  
Charis felt the breath get caught in her throat as Zeus nodded towards her as if allowing her to go for the others as she dashed up the steps and into the palace.  
  
Her cries echoed in the hallway frantic, "PARIS! HECTOR! LIBERTY!" Tears welled up in her eyes and her vision became blurred as she staggered around the corner and right into her brother-in-law.  
  
"Charis what in the name of Zeus is going on?" Hector asked as he held her by the elbows gently. Words failed Charis as she dropped to her knees sobbing; Hector knelt on one knee in front of her. "He's come for her hasn't he?" Charis managed to nod as she heard Paris and Liberty as they ran down the hallway and joined them. Paris immediately dropped to his knees as Hector carefully placed Charis into his brother's arms and rose to his feet.  
  
Paris rose slowly, "It's Zeus isn't it, brother?"  
  
Hector nodded as the remaining color drained from his face and he took hold of Liberty's hands for some kind of support, "Come...we cannot keep the king of the gods waiting."  
  
Liberty nodded and tightened her grip on Hector's hand as they walked out the front doors. Paris and Charis soon followed once she had calmed down and she was able to walk, although it was shaky.  
  
As the four descended the steps Apollo spoke up, "Ah good to see the happy royal family again." He was almost amused with the irony of his words as a smirk spread across his face only to be met with a cold glare from Zeus.  
  
"Watch your tongue Apollo. I do not take pleasure in such misery." Zeus looked up as Hector and Liberty stood mere feet away from him.  
  
"Bull shit," Liberty muttered, looking pale. Hector swallowed hard and stared at her. He'd been shocked when she gave attitude to the god of the Sun, but to the King of the Gods? That was unheard of!  
  
Zeus seemed unphased by it, stepping forward and taking Liberty's unwilling hand. "Child, you don't belong here."  
  
Liberty struggled for a full breath. "I've never felt more at home here."  
  
Zeus led her away from the others. "But you belong in your own time."  
  
He waved a hand and the air seemed to ripple with electricity. It was almost as if a window had opened in front of her, showing her home and her parents, gaping through the hole at her.  
  
"Liberty!" her mother called, looking shocked. "How...?"  
  
Liberty sighed and looked back at her friends and lover. "I want to stay here, mom... dad... but it seems I have no choice." She waved sadly at them and trudged slowly forward, putting one foot through the vortex toward her parents, who were staring at the Trojans in disbelief.  
  
As she moved through, Hector darted forward to grab her. Paris and Apollo moved to grab him, but before anyone could react, Hector grabbed Liberty by her left hand and pulled her two steps back away from the portal.  
  
"I care not if this is so proclaimed by fate or the will of Zeus, I want her to stay and I shall do everything in my power to have it so!" Hector stood defiantly, a firm grip on Liberty's hand, looking towards Zeus.  
  
Zeus chuckled, almost amused at the rashness of Hector, "Bold words for one so young, almost reminds me of myself when I was a youth." Apollo chuckled and nodded in agreement, as Charis and Paris stood in shock at the act of defiance they were witness to.  
  
A heavy sigh passed Liberty's lips as she looked up and saw her new puppy Kody yelping to her from the other side of the portal. She bit her lower lip and yanked her hand free of Hector's grasp, stepping through the portal. She desperately wanted to stay but she knew that there was no way she could change her fate, if this was it, and go against someone as powerful as Zeus. Charis gasped softly as she buried her face into Paris's chest and began to sob. Paris squeezed his eyes shut as tears rolled down his cheeks in an attempt to block out the tragedy that had unfolded before him.  
  
Shock washed over Hector as he cried out and dropped to his knees, burying his face in his hands.  
  
"NO!!!!"  
  
Hector's cry echoed through all of Troy, jolting the nearby Trojans, who were too shocked to move, seeing Zeus before them as the portal vanished.  
  
For what seemed like an eternity, nothing moved. The air was so thick, it almost choked the life out of the people in the square.  
  
Finally, Zeus' gaze dropped to the ground. He smiled appreciatively. "The decision has been made, and reversed. You win. It seems Fate is stronger than I." He and Apollo vanished from sight.  
  
Hector blinked a few times, then looked at the ground. Liberty was on her back, with a golden-haired puppy perched on her chest, yipping happily.  
  
"KODY!!" Liberty shrieked happily, patting the puppy's head. "He knocked me backwards through the vortex!"  
  
Paris and Charis rushed forward and embraced Liberty and her furry friend. "You're staying! Fate has proclaimed it so! Liberty is staying in Troy!"  
  
The cheers of the nearby Trojans jolted Hector out of his frozen stupor. He dropped to his knees and stared at the spectacle in front of him. Kody was licking Paris' face and Charis was stroking his soft fur. Liberty cuddled him close to her chest and beamed at Hector.  
  
He stood up shakily and moved toward her. Liberty pushed Kody into Paris' arms and ran to her love.  
  
"Is it done? You stay with me?" he asked, pressing his forehead to hers.  
  
Liberty kissed Hector deeply, entangling her fingers in his hair. "Let me put it this way." She smiled and met his eyes. "... and they lived happily ever after, to the end of their days."  
  
"Here! Here!" Paris and Charis cheered.  
  
Hector laughed. "I like that ending."  
  
THE END 


End file.
